Montgomerie slams Poulter
Ian Poulter missing from Vivendi Trophy
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By Alistair Potter. |  |
Thursday, 24, Sep 2009 02:51
By Michael Younger.
Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie has slammed Ian Poulter following the player's decision to pull out of Britain and Ireland's Vivendi Trophy team to face continental Europe.
Six players from the Britain and Ireland squad are missing, with Paul Casey and Martin Kaymer out through injury while Padraig Harrington and Luke Donald are playing stateside at the Tour Championship in Atlanta. Poulter has come under criticism from Montgomerie, as he joined Lee Westwood, Justin Rose and Sergio Garcia in turning down their places on the teams led by Paul McGinley and Thomas Bjorn.
Montogmerie, who is in attendance at St-Nom la Breteche to watch potential members of his side for the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor next October, said: "I just feel that when you are selected for your country more of an effort might well have been made.
"Ian Poulter, not having qualified for the Tour Championship and having been picked for the last Ryder Cup team (Westwood, Rose and Garcia all qualified), I felt that a little more effort might have been made to come here."
Poulter has defended his decision not to take part in the event, saying via Twitter: "I really want to be fresh and strong for all of the Ryder Cup qualifying events that I'm going to play in - the Ryder Cup means everything to me."