Ian Poulter returns from injury this week to try to boost his Ryder Cup prospects at the French Open.
Poulter retired from the U.S. Open two weeks ago with pain in his right wrist and on Wednesday the seven-times European Tour winner still had the injury heavily bandaged.
The 32-year-old Englishman is hoping it eases enough for him to get into contention for one of the biggest first prizes of the year (666,660 euros) and a haul of 38 world ranking points.
Lying 11th on the world points table and 25th on the European points list for the Ryder Cup team, Poulter needs a drastic improvement to play his way into the side for the biennial match against the U.S. in Valhalla, Kentucky in September.
Poulter also cast doubt on his involvement in the two big-money events to follow, next week’s European Open and the Scottish Open at Loch Lomond.
“As far as qualifying for the Ryder Cup goes I’m not sure what my schedule is after this week,” he told reporters. “I am going to play the British Open (starting on July 17), put it that way. I don’t know about the rest.
“I am going to play what I need to. If I win this week it will help but the Ryder Cup is months ahead and I don’t want to think too much about it.
“Let’s see how we get on this week and see how it (the wrist) is. If it’s all right and I am happy then I can think about the other stuff,” added Poulter, a member of the triumphant 2004 side.
“The wrist is fine for now. I played 18 holes the other day, the first time since the U.S. Open and shot a couple under which was nice.”
European Ryder Cup captain Nick Faldo also has concerns about the prospect of another Englishman making his team.
Luke Donald, on the winning 2004 and 2006 sides and lying ninth on the world points list, has pulled out of this week’s event because he has still not recovered from the wrist injury that caused him to retire during the last round of the U.S. Open.
