Victorious Ryder Cup hero Ian Poulter believes next year’s Ryder Cup is shaping up to a David and Goliath showdown among the opposing Gleneagles captains.

Eight-time Major winning Tom Watson, currently aged 63, was a shock selection to replace the defeated Davis Love 111 while 46-year old Paul McGinley was considered by outside observers a surprise European Team captain choice.

Poulter won all four matches at Medinah, including birding his last five holes on Saturday to single-handedly turn Europe’s fortunes around ahead of a stunning Sunday Singles triumph.

Ian Poulter believes the 2014 Ryder Cup is shaping up as a David and Goliath affair. (Photo – www.golffilie.ie)

And while Poulter, writing in the latest edition of Golf Monthly, is critical of Colin Montgomerie over his late decision to stand for the captaincy, he’s joined his European Team all for McGinley’s appointment.

“In the end common sense prevailed because it would have been very unjust to have given the job to Colin (Montgomerie),” said Poulter.

“While of course Colin was influential in our victory [in 2010], to give it to him again so soon would have been a reaction to Tom Watson’s selection and I think it would have been the wrong reaction.

“Paul may have only played in three [Ryder Cup] matches but we are never going to find a captain in Europe whose stature, record and career can begin to compare with Tom Watson.

“We have to look at it as a bit of a David and Goliath affair. No one is expecting Paul to go toe-to-toe with Tom – he can’t – Paul just needs to be Paul.”

And Poulter hinted there would have been a number of ‘upstet’ individuals had McGinley, and a veteran of five victorious Ryder Cup’s including  two as a vice-captain, not been afforded the 2014 European Ryder Cup captaincy.

“It would have upset a lot of people as well as some of the players – and that becomes a very dangerous thing to do,” said Poulter.

“It is going to be such a close match, the last thing in the world that Europe needs or wants is to start the week with a few players not in the best 
of moods.

“As players, we thought Paul was the best man for the job and that’s why many of us made a public stand for him in the days leading up to the decision, because we thought it was the right thing to do.”

And Poulter believes, like a growing number of observers, that the Watson captained USA Team could find it difficult wrestling back the Ryder Cup in Scotland given McGinley’s ‘closeness’ to the European Team.

“In many ways, he will know his players better than Tom will know his, if for no other reason than he is a lot younger and so much closer to them in terms of playing,” added Poulter.

“That may prove a big advantage. He will know what makes us tick and what we like – that’s healthy.