Prior to the Gleneagles Ryder Cup Ian Poulter and Stephen Gallacher had exchanged the minimum of pleasantries.
The duo were like complete strangers despite each having competed for more than 15 years on the European Tour.
It took the Ryder Cup and an opening day Fourball pairing to finally bring the pair together, and it was a pairing and the cementing of a friendship that will live with Poulter and Gallacher for as long as they breathe.
Paul McGinley threw ‘Poults’ and the Bathgate pro into the third match of Friday’s opening Fourball encounter against Patrick Reed and Jordan Spieth.
Stephen Gallacher and Ian Poulter no longer strangers following the Ryder Cup. (Photo – Thos Caffrey/www.golffile.ie)
Except the rookie American duo dominated the encounter winning six of the opening 11 holes and with Gallacher and Poulter winning claiming just one hole, Gleneagles 12th, before being handed a 5 & 4 drubbing.
But in going down to the Americans their pairing sowed the seeds for a friendship that Poulter says will now last forever.
Poulter said: “How much time have I ever spent with Stevie G over the years? I have to say not a lot, and apart from the occasional round of golf when we’ve been paired together in a tournament, that’s not really much time.
“But to spend the time that you get at a Ryder Cup like before the hosting of the gala function and through to the opening ceremony plus being there in the team room is something that will stay with him and myself throughout our golf careers.
“We knew we were going out together on Friday morning so we said a lot to each other before that happened, and it’s a time where you really get to the heart of who you are partnered with.
“The fact that I had played in four Ryder Cups before Gleneagles meant I could sit down with Stevie G and talk with him as what to expect and give him some sort of idea what he’s in for.
“Of course, he had loads of questions he wanted to bounce off me but you do get closer to someone simply because you spend so much time with them, and when you’ve never spent a lot of time with that person in the past, you don’t know certain aspects about them.
“So it was great to spend a lot of time with Stevie and the other guys on the team during the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles.
“I’ve also said this before, and former captains like Ollie (Jose Maria Olazabal) and Monty, and all the players have mentioned this but the Ryder Cup does bring you closer to your team-mates, and it’s a friendship that does last for a very long time well after the staging of the Ryder Cup.”
And while Poulter will concentrate his golf in 2015 again on the PGA Tour and Gallacher on the European Tour, you can be assured that when the paths of the pair again cross it will be more than just a quick nod of the head.
Poulter said: “It was amazing what Stevie went through to try and qualify for the European Team and I will always admire him for that.
“So we were all delighted he was afforded a wildcard pick at Gleneagles given it is just down the road from where he lives, and obviously in Scotland so how proud was he to make the team?
Stephen Gallacher and Ian Poulter will now be lifelong friends following the Ryder Cup. (Photo – Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie)
“It’s just a shame I couldn’t help him more in our match on Friday morning and vice versa because that was tough Ryder Cup baptism for Stevie.
“But then as proud as he was standing on that first tee I probably wanted to help him too much and it didn’t work.
“So I’ve got regrets of certain things that transpired in that match but then we won the Ryder Cup and Stevie is going to take a lot away from that week, and he will also take a lot away from that week and become a stronger looking for it.
“Anyone that plays Ryder Cup can only embrace it and actually become a stronger and a better play for the experience.
“And having played the Ryder Cup together and also having team mates in a winning side means that from now on there will always been that special bonding between us.
