Poulter: Michael Jordan couldn't psyche me out
European Ryder Cup hero depicts amusing tale during his SiriusXM radio debut
IAN POULTER made his debut as a host on SiriusXM radio this week and as expected, his words of wisdom didn't disappoint following a topic about Michael Jordan during the 2012 Ryder Cup.
The 38-year-old Englishman explained how he refused to let the Chicago Bulls legend, who acted as a motivator for the American side at Medinah, psyche him out during one of the most pivotal moments of the last biennial match.
Teaming up with Rory McIlroy against US duo Jason Dufner and Zach Johnson in the Saturday fourballs, Poulter birdied his last five holes of the match to turn the battle in Europe's favour and change the balance of power heading into Sunday's singles - albeit still four points down.
"I remember walking off the tee box at 13, looking over and he [Jordan] kind of wagged his, I don't know if you can call it, a finger, it looked like an arm," said Poulter. "This big finger comes up and he was wagging it at me, pulling a face as if to say, 'We've got you!'"
McIlroy made a big birdie on the 13th to start the comeback - Europe was 2-down through 12 in the match. Poulter took it from there. He recalled seeing Jordan again on the 15th, staring at him.
"I'm a little golfer, Ian Poulter, playing golf in the Ryder Cup, and there's legend basketball player Michael Jordan psyching me out in the Ryder Cup," he continued.
"And you know what? I said, 'I'm gonna hole this putt.' He'd done that for so many years on a basketball court. He hit the shot time and time again. I said to myself, 'I'm not going to allow him to get in my space.'
"He was playing his basketball game and... it was my court, and he's not playing ball."
