Ian Poulter divides opinion but his route to success is quite a story

Ian Poulter cannot be accused of seeking to cash in on short-term success. The publication of his autobiography this week, after all, comes towards the end of what the charismatic Englishman admits is his “worst year” as a professional.

There is a simple explanation for that, of course. Poulter suffered three separate injuries before playing an influential role in another European Ryder Cup success, meaning “longevity” is his buzzword when looking towards the future.

The confirming of a new equipment deal with Titleist may well offer Poulter fresh impetus before 2014 is out. He looks towards Lee Westwood, who recently played his 10th Ryder Cup at the age of 42, and Miguel Ángel Jiménez for wider inspiration.

Poulter’s book supplies background and family insight which has not been offered before. It is also an accurate portrayal of Poulter the character; someone who has emerged from genuinely humble beginnings to mix it with the world’s best, creating more than a few headlines along the way. Where Poulter came from shapes so much of what he stands for and appreciates now.

To his credit, Poulter is open about his clashes in the past – most notably with Colin Montgomerie – but doesn’t seem the type to bear a grudge at all. “I do rub some people up the wrong way but people around me know that there are no lies, no bullshit,” he says.

Poulter has that admirable ability to deal with what is in front of him in life and move on, while retaining clear perspective. Were you to have a pint with Poulter, he is guaranteed to be engaging company.

“I have said some things that have been controversial in the past,” he told me this week. “But I stood by them. And they were things I firmly believed at the time.”

Poulter expansively addresses the issue of his supposed spat with Tiger Woods. During a book of his own, Woods’s former coach Hank Haney offers a tale from 2007 in which Poulter received a lift on the 14-times major winner’s private plane back to Florida. Woods, Haney claimed, sent a text message to his coach referring to “this dick” who had “mooched” a ride on the jet.

Poulter takes up the story. “This will disappoint some people but I don’t believe there is any needle between me and Tiger Woods in any way, shape or form.

“Tiger and I were on completely separate [practice] rounds [at Oakmont in 2007]. I saw him on the 9th green. He lived in Isleworth, near Orlando, at the time. I asked if he was flying back that evening and he said he was.

“Look, I said, I’m on a Southwest Airlines flight at 9pm but it looks like we are going to be finished way earlier than that. Have you got any room on your plane? Because I’d love to hop on, if you’d let me?’

“Yeah, he said, no problem. We’re taking off at 6pm. I’ll see you at the FBO [fixed base operations airport section] at 5.30pm.

“To get on a private aircraft, you have to be on the manifest. I can’t physically put myself on someone’s aircraft without their express permission. I have to be signed up for it. The only way that could have happened was for Tiger to call his agent or one of his assistants and say: ‘Can you put Ian on the manifest?’

“So I didn’t exactly just waltz into the terminal, arrive at the steps of Tiger’s aircraft and say, how about a lift? It would actually be illegal, for a start.”

Poulter adds: “Maybe he didn’t really want to give me a lift, I don’t know. But Haney never came to sit at the back of the plane to talk to me. I never exchanged a word with him.

“It passed pretty quickly and uneventfully. When we landed in Orlando, I thanked Tiger for the lift and got off the plane. That was it.

“I didn’t react to the story when The Big Miss was published. I felt awkward about it but there was no point countering it. It was disappointing to read.”

Earlier, there is self-deprecation from Poulter. “I don’t want to go and have a drink with the guy [Woods] because we have nothing to talk about. ‘Let’s talk about major victories. Oh, you’ve got 14 and I haven’t got any.’”

Poulter laughs when the notion of some historical antipathy between him and Woods is suggested. “There has never been an issue, never been a feud,” says the 38-year-old.

For now, Poulter is slightly circumspect on the prospect of Darren Clarke leading Europe into battle at the 2016 Ryder Cup. The Northern Irishman is a clear favourite to do so.

“Darren is a very strong candidate but there are lots of names, lots of people who could fulfil that role,” he says. “Darren would be a very good choice but we will know soon enough.”

On the topic of a more thorny captaincy issue, that of Tom Watson, Poulter takes a different line to many. Phil Mickelson’s thinly-veiled attack on Watson in the immediate aftermath of a United States defeat at Gleneagles drew sharp breaths – and plenty of criticism – from onlookers. Perhaps unnecessarily so, Poulter believes.

“Phil was very vocal, he always has been and he wanted to air his views,” Poulter explains. “It is always hard, that issue, of when is the right time?

“But if you are a losing captain and you have left out players, as Tom Watson did with Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley on the Saturday, you will always be under scrutiny. If you are a losing captain full-stop, people want answers. There is always a postmortem to find out why a team lost.

“Other people would have wanted an explanation as to why Phil and Keegan didn’t play on the Saturday, in any case.

“OK, I’m sure it probably doesn’t help their relationship going forward. But questions would have been asked, regardless.”

Poulter’s book supplies plenty of answers. Unsurprisingly, it is an enjoyable read.

No Limits, the Ian Poulter autobiography, is on sale from Thursday at £20 as a hardback. Published by Quercus

End of the World?

What next for the once prestigious World Matchplay Championship? Television’s influence on golf was highlighted last week at the London Club, where the event reverted to a group stage format to offer at least some guarantee to key broadcasters of who would compete beyond just 18 holes. The field was decent without being outstanding, with the world’s top players generally unimpressed by the offer of a trip to England in October.

Mikko Ilonen’s win had been preceded by the disappointing news that Volvo was withdrawing its sponsorship of the competition. It is set to go ahead next year but beyond that, the future is highly uncertain unless another high-profile backer can be found. George O’Grady, the European Tour’s chief executive, is never shy in pointing towards financial successes on his watch; he faces another test here.