'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
As the Ryder Cup comes closer, Ian Poulter has made a surprising pick for his team, snubbing fellow LIV Golfer Sergio Garcia and others. Majesticks GC shared a video on their X account where the team's co-captain could be seen making the picks, choosing a five-time major champ.
Garcia has recently made headlines after finally making a return to the DP World Tour. Amid preparations for the prestigious competition at Bethpage Black, Team Europe's captain, Luke Donald, will be making his picks soon. Ian Poulter's video was a lighthearted take on his opinion for a team, in a "who would you rather" style.
The clip showed a range of prominent Ryder Cup names, giving the fans a glimpse of the rich history. Poulter was choosing between Collin Montgomery, Seve Ballesteros, and other legends. Finally, when it came to his ultimate choice, Ian Poulter declined to choose Garcia and others to select Ballesteros. Take a look at the full video on X:
Trending
"It’s a Ryder Cup special- who are you choosing! 👀"
Ballesteros is widely considered one of the golfing greats whenever the conversation is about the Ryder Cup. In his lifetime, Seve won 90 international tournaments and five golf majors. The three-time Open Championship winner represented Europe eight times in total.
On the other hand, Ian Poulter has represented Europe for seven times. Between 1979 to 1995, Ballesteros secured 22½ points with a success rate of 60.81%. Partnering with Jose Olazabal, Ballesteros won 11 out of 15 matches in Ryder Cup, losing and halving only two each.
His passion and charisma was also a significant factor behind his popularity in the Ryder Cup history. Its worth noting that Poulter is a fan of the 1997 Team Europe Ryder cup captain.
How Ian Poulter remembers Seve Ballesteros
Poulter has expressed his fondness for the Spanish golfer on multiple occasions throughout his life. The 50-time European Tour winner passed away from brain cancer back in 2011 at the age of 54.
This year, on May 8, the two-time World Golf Championship winner shared a post on Instagram, remembering the legend. Ian Poulter wrote:
"My Hero, Our Hero and inspiration ❤️🇪🇺🏆 14 years ago we lost you but your legacy will live on forever 👊🏼💪🏼🙌🏻"
On Ballesteros' website, a lot of golfers and athletes have expressed how they remember the Spaniard. It includes popular names like Phil Mickelson and Rafael Nadal. To recall his passing, Poulter expressed deep admiration for the late golfer, echoing the latter's impact on his life:
"I will remember his words for the rest of my life. I feel trully honoured to have been able to get to know Seve and called him a friend. To play golf with him and watch him and learn from a true genius"
A year after Ballesteros passed away, Poulter and Team Europe paid an honorary tribute to the Spaniard. During the 2012 Ryder Cup, Europeans wore with Seve's silhouette with his living years (1957-2011) etched below. After they won, a proud Poulter claimed that Seve would've been 'the proudest man in the world'.
