	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

RBC CANADIAN OPEN

July 30, 2017

Ian Poulter

Oakville, Ontario, Canada

Q. Eight birdies, no bogeys, six fairways, 15 greens, 128 feet worth of putts. Your analysis of what you did today?
IAN POULTER: Yeah, the best thing I did today was start holing a few putts. I played good golf today. I gave myself a lot of chances. I'm going to rue a couple of chances out there on the golf course, 13, 16, where I felt I had opportunities to add to my under par tally today.

But you know, 8-under par, I would have taken that before the round. I think it's going to come up one short. Jhonny looks to be in decent shape.

It's playing short, 18 today, and I would think he'll probably do enough to get it home.

Q. You had a great sand save at 17 to give yourself a chance for eagle, 171 for the shot at 18?
IAN POULTER: I had 172 downwind. Hit 8-iron. Just hit a smooth 8-iron but obviously adrenaline was running and came out pretty strong downwind, just over the green. Chipped it on to about five feet. It would have been a scary 9-iron from that fairway to get it back there to 172.

It's a good week. I've played five Opens in a row. My little legs are tired. But I've just got to work on the calculation to see if second place will be good enough to get me into Akron. I thought I needed a 1 or a 2. But we'll have to wait and see.

Q. How did you put together a flawless Sunday?
IAN POULTER: I've done everything I needed to do today. I played very solid. I gave myself lots of opportunities. I started to hole a couple nice putts, especially a 45-, 50-footer there on 12.

But there's a couple of missed opportunities out there today, the two par 5s on the back nine, 13 and 16. Had a good opportunity there at 16 and didn't hit a good chip at all. Didn't even get over the ridge. I mean, that was a shame.

I holed good putts. I'm playing really solid. I'm trending in the right direction. I'm gaining a bit more confidence with each week I play right now, I'm playing a lot freer than I did three months ago. When you don't know if you're going to be playing the following week or what tour you're going to be playing on, it's not easy to play golf.

I've certainly eased off the pressure. I enjoyed today. Today was great.

Q. As you mentioned three months ago, a totally different mind-set. When you're able to put together a round like this, even though you feel like it has some flaws, how much can that affect confidence going forward?
IAN POULTER: It can affect it a lot. I think I needed to finish 1 or 2 to try to get into Akron next week. I'm not sure. I'm going to wait on the calculations to see if it's going to be good enough to get in.

But the confidence tin was empty a few months ago. You interviewed me after a very difficult round of golf when I missed the cut in Texas, and that was your first interview, so that was really tough. So well done.

And it's amazing how things change, right. I'm standing here today, second place at THE PLAYERS; this looks like potentially it might hold onto a second place finish here. I've had a nice summer in Europe with the family and kids. Life's all good.

Q. Let's not forget what we talked about today, too.
IAN POULTER: Cheeky 64 to finish is always nice.

Q. Good scorecard: Eight birdies, no bogeys. Do you feel like did you what you had to do today to put pressures on the guys up at the top?
IAN POULTER: Yeah, I tried. I needed to have a strong run. Yesterday was a little disappointing that I couldn't quite get in the clubhouse, more under par than I did. And obviously being five back, I think it was, going into Sunday, is not easy on a golf course that is always going to give up plenty of birdies.

So I had to go out and attack the golf course. I'm pleased I did that pretty well. I left a couple out there. I know I holed a couple of long putts, but there's two other par 5s on the back nine that I didn't take advantage of that could have definitely got me a little closer to perhaps a win.

Q. Your first time at the RBC Canadian Open. Overall how was the experience?
IAN POULTER: Well, obviously second place, if it finishes second, will be a nice experience. It's five Opens in a row for me right few: Started off with The French Open, Irish Open, Scottish Open, Open Championship which I qualified for, and obviously great to come over for the RBC Canadian Open, which they have looked after me very nicely this week. It's my first Canadian Open and let's hope I can obviously come back for some more.

Q. Not the same stage as last week in Birkdale, but what did you learn about yourself during the final rounds this week that you didn't do last week?
IAN POULTER: I'm gaining more and more confidence. That's all I can do, really, is continue to put myself in position. The more I put myself in position, the more the old fun feelings of trying to win golf tournaments is going to flood back. You know, hopefully I can capitalize on those chances.

Q. You mentioned about not knowing where you're going to play and what your next TOUR event was going to be. How do you feel about the RBC and Golf Canada giving you an exemption, extending you an exemption into this championship you? Were going to get here, anyway, based on your Open spot but has to be special to get that.
IAN POULTER: It's great. To know earlier on in the calendar season that I was going to be coming to play golf was great.

RBC I've looked up to; this event has been a huge event through the years. Some fantastic winners have come through the Canadian Open.

I tried hard this week, really hard, and it looks like I'm going to come up just short. Big thanks to RBC for having me here this week. It's a great tournament. I've loved every bit of it. The city's been good, great food. I've got a lot of good friends in the city, as well, and I've had a great week.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297