Ryder Cup: Ian Poulter under pressure to deliver for Europe against United States at Whistling Straits

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Show Ian Poulter a team room with Europe posted on the door and he will find a locker inside that contains the magical powers of Clark Kent's phone box.

Clad in the continent's blue and gold, Poulter transforms. His eyes grow large and burn with passion, his chest puffs out, he struts between shots and he wills his ball into the hole time and again.

In the Ryder Cup this relatively average touring pro becomes a golfing Superman. Famously, though, he prefers being known as the postman - the one who always delivers.

Poulter has built a staggering reputation in an era of European domination of the biennial clash with the United States. Once again it will be put to the test when he joins the team to defend the trophy at Whistling Straits from 24-26 September.

But there is huge pressure on Poulter to justify captain Padraig Harrington's faith. The Englishman was picked as a wildcard - for the fifth time in seven appearances - alongside Sergio Garcia and Shane Lowry to complete Europe's 12-man team which will travel to Wisconsin.

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This trio were selected at the expense of former world number one Justin Rose, for whom a compelling argument for selection could also be made.

Throughout the Covid-interrupted qualifying process Harrington made it clear that it would be hard not to select Garcia, Europe's leading points scorer, and Poulter, so often an inspirational hero and winner on five of his six starts.

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Poulter lapped up the adulation after helping Europe to a big win over the US at Le Golf National in 2018

At 45 Poulter's Ryder Cup passion remains undimmed. But now the veteran has to find a way to provide his usual service at a time when youthful big beasts of America seem pretty dominant in the delivery business.

You might say it is a challenge of Amazonian proportions. Just look at the way that the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup spoils were distributed - all 12 of the American team made it to the season's end with only four Europeans going the distance.

Poulter was not one of them. World number one Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Viktor Hovland and Garcia were the only Euros to make it to the lucrative Tour Championship earlier this month.

Harrington has to hope this is not a Ryder Cup too far for the talismanic Englishman. Poulter won two points out of four at Le Golf National near Paris in 2018 as Europe won 17½-10½.

He has lost only six of 22 matches in six previous appearances, remains unbeaten in singles and inspired the "Miracle at Medinah" when Europe came from 10-4 down to defend the trophy. That was nine years ago and the last time they won on American soil.

It was also the last time Poulter, who made his debut in 2004, played an away match for Europe. "I still feel young enough to deliver as much energy as I can," Poulter told BBC Sport.

"Seventeen years later we are going to give number seven a go and hopefully deliver as many points as I possibly can.

"I've been pretty decent with those deliveries and hopefully we can do that again."

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