Every week of the 2010 PGA Tour season, the editorial staff of the SI Golf Group will conduct an e-mail roundtable. Check in on Mondays for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors and join the conversation in the comments section below.
POULTER'S PROSPECTS
Jim Gorant, senior editor, Sports Illustrated: Lot's o' stuff out there, but let's begin with the actual golf. Ian Poulter held on to win the Euro tour event in Hong Kong, tying a tour scoring record in the process. What do we make of Poulter? Is this who he is, a borderline top 10 guy with attention-getting pants, or does he have what it takes to do more?
Jim Herre, managing editor, SI Golf Group: Poulter has a ton of game but has been pretty much a no-show in the majors.
Rick Lipsey, writer-reporter, Sports Illustrated: Poulter is a cool dude with big game. I love him.
Michael Bamberger, senior writer, Sports Illustrated: Poulter has a ton of game, and I'd be surprised if he went 0-for-life in the majors.
Damon Hack, senior writer, Sports Illustrated: If I can trot out an NFL saying, he is who we think he is: brash, talented, chatty, bratty and, at times, brilliant. I think he'll nab a major — and have a few more fashion faux pas — before his career is done.
Farrell Evans, writer-reporter, Sports Illustrated: Poulter is another very good player, but he's not yet a great player. A lot of good players win majors when Tiger and Phil don't bring their best games. So he has to take advantage when he gets into contention.
Gary Van Sickle, senior writer, Sports Illustrated: Consistency apparently isn't Ian's strong suit. You never know when he'll decide to play well. For that reason, it's hard to pin down just how good he is. Certainly good enough to win a major, but that doesn't guarantee that he will.
David Dusek, deputy editor, Golf.com: I think he showed a lot at Royal Birkdale. All the attention was being paid to Greg Norman on Sunday, but Ian stormed back to finish solo second in 2008. Yes, that was two years ago, but in a new era of golf without a dominant player, I think Poulter's confidence will help him win a major someday.
Van Sickle: I'd agree with that. If you were forced to bet on whether Poulter will win a major, you'd definitely put your money on Yes He Will.
Jeff Ritter, senior producer, Golf.com: Had to look it up, and I was surprised Poulter is already 34. It's possible he hits his prime over next few years and maybe snags a major. Hard to imagine he'll ever climb to No. 1, as he brashly predicted a couple of years ago.
Van Sickle: I don't know, it's suddenly not so hard to get to No. 1. At least, not as hard as it used to be. Another thing about Poulter: Give him credit for his crazy fashion stuff because the Tour needs guys like that, Payne Stewart types who have personality and like to show it off. Even if Poulter never wins a major, his colorful aura is good for the game. He's entertaining.
Dusek: He's also got a good sense for business. The clothing he wears is made by his own brand, Ian Poulter Design. He's never going to make Tiger/Phil-level endorsements, but Ian's accountant has been busy this year.
MCDOWELL STUMBLES
Gorant: For the second week in a row, Graeme McDowell started the final round with a chance to win. In Hong Kong he shot himself in the foot with a two-over on the front nine. Should we begin to wonder if G-Mack has peaked?
Dusek: No. McDowell is coming to the end of a long, emotional breakout season. Multiple victories, a major win, a Ryder Cup — he's done it all this season. If he starts to run out of gas down the stretch, in late November, I don't think it's anything to worry about. He's now one of golf's elite players.
Hack: I agree with Dusek. Graeme is probably more worn out than anything. Kudos to him for scrapping this late into November.
Van Sickle: I don't think G-Mac was scrapping into November. I think the term is cashing in.
Bamberger: G-Mack's year was the U.S. Open and the Ryder Cup. So now we know he's not Tiger, somebody who always has his cleated foot on somebody's neck, ready to close the deal. I wouldn't read anything into what he does (or has done) since Wales.
Herre: I think he's coming into his prime. The numbers show that his stroke average has been trending down for the past several years and hit an all-time low this season. He'll be one of many Euros to watch in 2011.
Van Sickle: The guy has been a birdie machine ever since his days at Alabama-Birmingham. He's seemed like a can't-miss player for a long time, and now he has arrived.
Dusek: I don't see any reason why McDowell can't achieve everything someone like Padraig Harrington, another relatively late bloomer from Europe, has achieved.
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