Price displays old Ryder Cup magic to close on Poulter

RYDER Cup hero Phil Price is hoping to draw on his Belfry experience to produce a first home victory in the £1.5million Wales Open.

Price birdied four of his last six holes for a second round 66 at Celtic Manor, two shots behind leader Ian Poulter, the man he pipped to the last qualifying place for the European team.

Poulter, battling a bout of tonsillitis, added a 67 to his course-record equalling 65 on Thursday for a 12 under halfway total of 132 and pole position in the battle for the £250,000 first prize.

Local favourite Price, who lives in nearby Newport, has had constant reminders of his memorable performance at the Belfry this week, his singles win over Phil Mickelson being constantly replayed on the tournament television service.

And he used memories of his vital three and two victory over the then world number two to boost his bid for a third tour title on Sunday. “I’d like to think that sometime down the road it is going to be an asset to me,” said the 36-year-old, who carded six birdies and no bogeys in a flawless round.

“When I am feeling particularly nervous again I will know I can play properly when I am feeling like that. Hopefully that point will come very shortly this season when I will feel nervous and I will be able to pull through.

“I could hardly breathe. I think with the crowd and everything it is difficult to breathe properly with all the adrenaline going through you.

“It is not easy to settle down. The crowd are roaring all the time too so that keeps on doing it to you. It is like walking up a hill all the time. I was told that everybody feels the same so it was just a battle of trying to play the best golf on the day.”

Poulter has dropped just one shot in 36 holes but felt he could have been even further ahead if he had enjoyed some more luck on the greens.

“I could have gone really berserk,” said the 27-year-old from Milton Keynes, who was on standby for the Ryder Cup team if any of the automatic qualifiers had pulled out injured.

One player who did not even make the weekend was pre-tournament favourite Colin Montgomerie, who carded a second round 71 to finish level par.

Montgomerie narrowly missed a 50 foot eagle putt on the last and drove home to Surrey to wait and see if that would be good enough to qualify for the last two rounds.

“I don’t know how that putt on the last missed, or how a few of them missed,” said the Scot, who joked ‘It’s getting easier all the time’ on Wednesday when told defending champion Paul Lawrie had joined Volvo PGA champion Ignacio Garrido, runner-up Trevor Immelman and Paul Casey in pulling out of the event.

“I played very well from tee to green but did not hole anything so went home last night to get a heavier putter. It was working a little better but the putts still didn’t go in.

“I’m striking the ball well enough. I hit 16 greens yesterday and the same again today. Nothing wrong with that at all, I haven’t holed the putts unfortunately. The guys who are nine and 10 under have.”

Montgomerie’s resolve to play golf with more of a smile on his face had been sorely tested as he struggled to make any birdie putts on the Wentwood Hills course. The 39-year-old believes new caddie Steve Rawlinson is just the man to keep him in the right frame of mind on.