Poulter disputes that he's already chosen one

NORTON - His visor and trousers were soft pink. A tribute to one of his favorite colors. His face? It seemed to be red. That was testament to the steam he was letting off.

Ian Poulter had the stage yesterday at the Deutsche Bank Championship. More accurately, he had the table inside the media center to address a European Ryder Cup picture he feels has been distorted. The Englishman could have flown back to Europe to make a long-shot, last-ditch effort to automatically qualify for the team, but he chose to maintain his position in the field at TPC Boston. The British press insinuated that since he wasn't playing in Europe, he had been assured of being one of Nick Faldo's captain's picks.

"I think it's pathetic that people can even [suggest] or write or think that that's the case," said Poulter. "I can safely say, hand on heart, that I have not been 'given the nod.' "

That was a reference to fellow Englishman Nick Dougherty, who used that phrase about Poulter while talking to British reporters.

Poulter is a strong contender to be one of Faldo's picks, which will be announced late Sunday afternoon. But so, too, is another Englishman, Paul Casey, who is also playing at the Deutsche Bank Championship. Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland, who won last week's European tournament in the Netherlands, is considered to be the leading contender, given his Ryder Cup experience (five teams, four wins). By playing in the United States this week, Casey and Poulter will not earn points on the European Ryder Cup list, so they're hoping to play well to impress the captain.

Although Poulter, who holds memberships on the US and European PGA Tours, conceded he's been friendly with Faldo for several years, he lashed out at stories this week in the British press.

"[Faldo] has been a professional for the last 30 years," said Poulter, owner of eight worldwide wins and a 2006 Ryder Cup participant. "He's not going to start changing that now. I know he hasn't done that [given the nod]. That is exactly the truth."

And with that, he threw up his arms, seemingly rejuvenated.

Down under
His world ranking has dropped to 11th, his money list position to 24th, and his FedEx Cup standing to 47th. Not only that, but the nagging issue with his tonsils remains unresolved. Which isn't to get into the broken finger he had earlier in the year. "A pretty crazy six months, I guess. It's not been ideal since March, really," said Adam Scott, the 28-year-old Aussie who made the Deutsche Bank Championship his breakthrough win on the PGA Tour in 2003. Having missed the cut in his last two starts, including last week's playoff tournament, The Barclays, Scott could drop below No. 70 in the FedEx Cup standings and not make next week's BMW Championship. And if that happens, he'd be one shy of the required 15 tournaments needed to maintain PGA Tour membership. "I'd have to pick out one in the fall," said Scott, though he has designs on next week, and being top 30 to get into the Tour Championship. As for the tonsils, doctors in Australia have said "it sounds like recurring tonsillitis."

Marquee numbers
It may lack the sizzle of last year's trio of Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, and Vijay Singh, but once again the PGA Tour has a marquee pairing of Nos. 1-2-3 in the FedEx Cup standings for Rounds 1 and 2 of the Deutsche Bank Championship. Singh will be alongside Sergio Garcia and Kevin Sutherland, but no introductions will be necessary. They were eyeball to eyeball in last week's playoff at The Barclays, when Singh won on the second hole. This morning, the trio will be off at 8:22 from the 10th tee; they go off No. 1 at 1:07 tomorrow . . . From the first tee this morning at 7:25, Pat Perez, Poulter, and Brett Quigley will get the festivities off and running, while at the 10th, Tim Petrovic, Ryan Moore, and Tim Herron have that opening slot. Notable pairings for today's first round: Padraig Harrington draws the 8:22 slot at No. 1 alongside Jerry Kelly and Hunter Mahan; Scott will be with Paul Goydos and Mark Wilson from No. 10 at 7:48; J.B. Holmes puts his long-ball game into play at 12:44 from the first tee with Mike Weir and Trevor Immelman; and for your late-afternoon viewing, Fred Couples and Lee Janzen go out as a two-ball at 1:53.

Master stroke
It isn't often a marquee name with the stature of Anthony Kim can turn to one of his amateur partners and ask: "What can you tell me about Augusta National?" But that was the case, because in the first pro-am group off the first tee yesterday, Kim was paired with four amateurs, including George Zahringer, the 2002 US Mid-Amateur champion. That title earned Zahringer a trip to the 2003 Masters. Kim will make his Augusta debut next April . . . OK, so the morning draw of the pro-am had some heavy hitters in the world of politics (New York's mayor, Michael Bloomberg), banking (Deutsche Bank CEO Seth Waugh), and celebrity (Donald Trump), but the musical talent played in the afternoon with Edwin McCain and Ken Casey of the Dropkick Murphys . . . Nice fit: Weir, a big hockey guy from Canada, had Olympic goaltending hero Jim Craig as one of his pro-am partners . . . Major Dan Rooney's spirited initiative, Patriot Golf Day, has caught on. Participating golf courses throughout the country will donate money to Rooney's Folds of Honor Foundation, which helps families who have lost loved ones in the line of duty. You can click on Patriot Golf Day via the PGA of America's website, www.pga.com, and find a local course that is participating . . . Folds of Honor has also received a boost from Softspikes and players taking part in the Deutsche Bank Championship. For every player who dons red, white, and blue Softspikes, the company will donate $50. Thus far, at least 30 players have signed on, including Scott Verplank, Ben Curtis, Singh, and Scott.