Poulter ready to prove Faldo right at Valhalla this week

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Ian Poulter (left) talks with teammate Justin Rose at Valhalla on Thursday.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- It's safe to say few people, other than perhaps his wife Katie and the rest of his family, know Ian Poulter better than Justin Rose.

The longtime friends used to room together in their early days on the European Tour before each struck it rich on the world stage. They dreamed of playing together at the Ryder Cup, and they have a chance this week at Valhalla Golf Club.

Poulter, though, comes to the Bluegrass State still smarting from the criticism he received for electing to play at the PGA TOUR's Deutsche Bank Championship rather than at the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, where a top-three finish would have clinched a spot on the European Team.

There was even speculation that Poulter had already been guaranteed a spot -- a charge that he vehemently denied. The flamboyant Brit proceeded to miss the cut at TPC Boston and had to wait until Sunday night to find out whether Nick Faldo would pick him.

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Poulter is making his second Ryder Cup appearance.

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Poulter says he was "gobsmacked" when he got the call that he would join Paul Casey on the European Team. Of course, that means stalwarts Darren Clarke and Colin Montgomerie have been left on the other side of the pond.

Poulter stands by his decision to participate in the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup and let his performance over the past year, which includes solo second at the Open Championship, speak for itself, if need be.

That said, there are still those who would suggest the outspoken Poulter has something to prove as he plays in his second Ryder Cup. And the way Rose sees it, that may not such a bad thing.

"I hope so, because as much as I know of Ian, when he's got a point to prove, he normally goes out there and proves it," Rose said. "I could always sense that and even times he would say, right, I'm going to win one of the next three or four weeks, and a couple of times he's said that, he's gone out and done it."

The European Team has rallied around Poulter, even though Rose is quick to point out his longtime buddy can take care of himself.

"I think it was tough for him, though, no doubt about it," Rose said. "I think he found that whole couple of weeks very tough, and I'm sure that given the opportunity again, he might do things differently, but at the same time, he's been amazingly upbeat and he's come into this team believing he should be on the team, which is exactly what you want from him."

Poulter, for his part, said his teammates have been extremely welcoming to him. Faldo has even taken to calling the fashionable 32-year-old Raquel, after a character on the British TV sitcom, Only Fools and Horses.

He's talked at length with Clarke and ran into Montgomerie, who offered his congratulations, at a London restaurant. He's also fielded calls from former Ryder Cup players like Paul McGinley and Thomas Bjorn.

"Everybody has been great, to be honest," Poulter said. "We all make decisions in our careers and that was one of them. I'm strong enough to stand by it and take that decision.

"It was nice to get that call saying that you're a worthy player on the side and go out there and enjoy yourself and do what you do best. ... I think certain people might have been preempted in what they wanted to say, but that's fine. I'm a big enough boy to go out and play and I'll have my role. "

The most important thing now, on the eve of the 37th renewal of the matches started by the British sea merchant, is to pull together. The Europeans have won the last three Ryder Cups and five of the last six, and they enter this year's competition as the favorite.

"Ian has taken a lot of flak over the past couple of weeks," Casey said. "The thing is, now we're a team of 12 guys. Certainly this week, we've been a unit. He's been included we've both been included and we are part of that team."

Poulter spent the week after he made an early exit at the Deutsche Bank Championship back home in Orlando. He turned his phone off -- "I just wanted to be able to have a clear mind coming into this week," he said -- and began to practice in earnest, trying to recapture the form that produced the runner-up finish at Royal Birkdale.

"It's kind of been one of those (years) where I haven't finished a lot off," Poulter said. "I've played very, very solid all year. But I kind of got into a nice mindset in the Open. I was very, very focused, and I was able to ride that focus and keep it going for four rounds, and it's something I haven't done for all four rounds this year.

"It was nice to do it. It was nice to keep momentum going and hole putts at the right time. I think that's something that I had not done early in the season, but looking at my stats, I have performed and played very, very solid."

Poulter, who is ranked 29th in the world, thinks he'll bring flair, excitement and passion to the European Team this week. And he'd like nothing better than to play with his buddy in Foursomes or Four-Balls.

"To say Justin is going to be a rookie this year is amazing; the kind of player he is and how good he's been over a number of years, it's amazing to me he is going to be a rookie," Poulter said. "Justin is a great player, and I think you'll see him showing all his colors this week. He's in form. He's excited. I'm excited.

"You know, we've talked about it for a long time that we can't wait, and I certainly can't wait to get out there and be good friends, be good partners and put up a good show."