Poulter must ‘earn his stripes’

Europe captain Paul McGinley has warned Ian Poulter he is not guaranteed a place in the side at Gleneagles next year, despite likening his Ryder Cup heroics to Liverpool’s Champions League final comeback against AC Milan.

Poulter famously sparked the ‘Miracle at Medinah’ last year by making five birdies in-a-row as he and Rory McIlroy won the final Saturday afternoon fourball against Zach Johnson and Jason Dufner, telling his team-mates afterwards: “Now we have a pulse.”

Poulter went on to beat US Open champion Webb Simpson in the singles to make it four points from four matches, while he won three points from four at Celtic Manor in 2010 and four from five at Valhalla in 2008.