Poulter and Rose Re-United for World Cup

Firm friends Ian Poulter and Justin Rose are hoping that the strength of that friendship can inspire them to victory in the Omega Mission Hills World Cup at Mission Hills Golf Club in China from November 22-25. Poulter and Rose served their golfing apprenticeships together as room-mates on the European Challenge Tour over eight years ago and have subsequently driven each other to the pinnacle of the game with 13 professional victories between them. Now safely ensconced inside the top 50 on the Official World Golf Ranking, Poulter and Rose have achieved world class consistency in 2007 and are hoping their impeccable standards will help them emulate Paul Casey and Luke Donald’s 2004 victory to bring the Omega Mission Hills World Cup back to England. “It’s a great opportunity to play with Justin and it would certainly be nice to win the World Cup,” said Poulter. “Justin has come close and the England side has been strong for a number of years. It will be an exciting week and to pair up with Justin in what could, hopefully, be a pairing next September at The Ryder Cup as well. We will have a bit of fun out on the course at Mission Hills. “We have been friends since the Challenge Tour. I bumped into him when I was first reserve at the French Open and he was on the putting green. We got chatting and then started rooming together on the Challenge Tour. We have been very good mates for eight years now. We are neighbours in Lake Nona and play quite a few practice rounds together when we are over there together. It’s going to be brilliant at Mission Hills and more than anything it will be great fun.” Rose said: “I’m really looking forward to the World Cup. Ian and I go way back and to have the chance to represent my country with one of my good friends is going to be exciting. The friendship that we have will hopefully create the right atmosphere for us to play good golf – that’s what we are hoping for anyway.”