Poulter prepared for Open challenge

England's Ian Poulter is feeling refreshed and ready for another Open challenge having spent the last couple of weeks enjoying any other sport apart from golf.

While fellow professionals were knocking it around Le Golf National in Paris in late June and early July or battling the elements at the subsequent Scottish Open last week the 35-year-old was taking in the best an English summer of sport could offer.
He had a seat in the Royal Box at Wimbledon to watch fellow Brit Andy Murray lose his semi-final to Rafael Nadal and also indulged his love of fast cars with a trip to the Goodwood Festival of Speed followed by a VIP visit to the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
He did squeeze in a couple of practice rounds at Royal St George's, which was more than enough preparation ahead of the more serious business which began in earnest on Tuesday.
The Ryder Cup star believes his time off was well spent as in addition to having a much needed break with his family he was able to pick up a few pointers from other sports.
"You can't hit balls 24/7 every day of the week because it just doesn't work, that's simple, you are just going to be too tired," said the world number 16, whose last competitive action came on June 26 with a joint 24th finish at the Travelers Championship in Connecticut.
"If I want to take two weeks off and have some family time then I am going to do it and enjoy myself.
"This game is stressful enough and you don't need to beat yourself up 24/7.
"I don't get that many weeks with the family because I am on the road that much so I am going to enjoy that time and when I need to hit balls I'll go and hit balls.
"I was doing stuff which was bonkers to be honest. I was in the pits at F1, on the start grid, in the Royal box at Wimbledon - all of which is incredible.
"I forgot my golf and I enjoyed the sporting occasion, it's fantastic.
"It is always good to see the best sportsmen in the world do their job.
"You get an insight into what they are doing and how they can help you: temperament, body language - all that stuff you can tell when guys' heads go down quite quickly when they have lost a set and stuff is going against them."
Poulter's best finish at the Open - his best in any major - was second place at Royal Birkdale three years ago.
It remains his only top 10 finish at his home major but his record does not deter the confident Englishman, who divides his time between Buckinghamshire and Orlando in Florida.
"My approach is absolutely no different from what I have said over the last 10 years," he added.
"I am here to win, my game is good enough to win, I feel my preparation has been good.
"My best practice was done last week when there was no one here, playing Tuesday and Wednesday last week, and I could get a good look at the course and I feel I am ready.
"You never know what the weather will do, you can get the right side of the draw or the wrong side of the draw, but you never know what mother nature will throw at you."
This is the closest Open to his English home and Poulter has taken full advantage by bringing his family and friends - complete with a chef - down to Kent to stay in a house together.
"There are nine or 10 people in the house with other family nearby," he said.
"It is nice and relaxing. I have stuff to do when I get off the golf course but it is always good to have family and friends around you.
"I don't think an Open in England is different because our golf fans in Britain are great sports fans and they travel, whether it is from Scotland down here or vice-versa.
"We get great crowds who applaud good shots and so it doesn't make a difference.