Ian Poulter predicts golden future for son Luke despite both missing out on Open place
The English duo went into this 36-shoot-out on the mission to become the first father-and-son duo to play in the British major since the formative days when the likes of legendary champions Old Tom Morris and Young Tom Morris highlighted golf's unique quality as the sport that can transcend the generations.
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Yet despite Luke producing a fine morning five-under 67 that put the amateur in the frame to earn one of the five royal Portrush spots on offer in this 72-man field, the 21-year-old struggled in the windy conditions of the afternoon, firing a 76 that took him back to one under and four shots off the required number.
It meant that the Stadlers, Crag and Kevin, remain the last dad and heir to tee it up at the same major – in the 2014 Masters. In the event, Poulter snr, 49, finished on the same score, but as he acknowledged afterwards, his day was essentially wrecked when he played his first nine holes in four over.
'It was flat calm but I just wasn't with it,' he told Telegraph Sport. 'Yeah, I had to travel over from Dallas after playing the LIV tournament there on Sunday and I didn't get here until last night and there was a bit of jet-lag – but that's no excuse. Lee [Westwood] did the same and he qualified today.
'Of course, I was thinking about Luke out there and heard that he had started well. As any parent would tell you, if it had come down to it, I would have far preferred to have seen him qualify than me. But this is great experience for Luke – he has barely played on links courses before – and after the US Open qualifier he is knocking on the door.'
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Last month, Luke, a student at the University of Florida, came within a shot of qualifying for Oakmont.
'I would have caddied for him there and would have been crying my eyes out on the first tee,' he said. 'If you think about where he was last year, with a fracture in his back and the months he had to spend recovering, it has been incredible how far he has come. He made me laugh just then. I saw him and said 'unlucky, mate' and Luke replied 'well, that's what you get for playing rubbish'.
'I mean, he's missed out by a few shots in a field containing me and Graeme [McDowell, the former US Open champion] and loads of European Tour winners. And none of them qualified either. I like that attitude. It shows he has high standards and drive. He will only improve.'
Poulter Jnr will make his debut for the England seniors in the European Championships next week and is deep in the conversation to make the Walker Cup team against the United States in California in September. Another Poulter taking on the Americans in team matchplay is a truly delicious prospect.
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As the pair departed this stunning layout, Poulter Snr was soon on the phone congratulating a LIV team-mate. With a seven-under total, Westwood, 52, topped the leaderboard at Dundonald, the Fife links, and will play in his first major in three years. It will be the former world No 1's 28th appearance at the tournament where he finished second in 2010 and where he made his debut 30 years ago.
'I've always said it's the greatest championship in golf and I'm just looking forward to seeing a few old friends and enjoying that fantastic course,' he said.
'I loved Portrush last time [in 2019] – I finished fourth. I won't be going in with any expectations but it is links golf and we've seen in the last few decades, veterans like Tom Watson and Greg Norman up there. So who knows? I've been up since 1.30am with jet-lag, but I've come through, There's still a bit of life left in me.'
Richard Teder will become Estonia's first representative at the Open after making up for a seemingly dream-crushing mistake by sensationally holing out from the fairway in an extra-hole shoot-out at West Lancs.
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The young amateur seemed almost assured of securing his place at the British major when he went down the last with a two-shot cushion. Yet he double-bogeyed to send himself into a four-man play-off chasing two spots.
Teder looked crushed and distraught. No matter. He shook himself down and on the second extra hole - and by then there was just one place up for grabs - he hit his drive 340 yards and then span his lob wedge into the hole from 80 yards. The wild celebration soon went viral.
'This is incredible – I thought I'd blown it,' Teder said. 'There are fewer than 10 courses in my country. So this is huge.'
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