Ryder Cup hero Ian Poulter has revealed he feels good about his game at the moment as he looks to make it to Hazeltine for the 2016 edition of the tournament.

The 40-year-old is a Ryder Cup stalwart after making his debut back in 2004, with 13 points from his five appearances against the Americans to date.

The biennial event seems to bring the best out of Poulter, who recently won the EurAsia Cup with Europe, picking up maximum points as Darren Clarke’s men saw off Asia 18.5 – 5.5.

He went on to finish tied for 14th place in the Abu Dhabi Championship over the weekend and was in contention until a final-round 72 saw him slip seven shots off the pace behind winner Rickie Fowler.

Poulter feels he has started 2016 in the best possible manner as he looks to keep on impressing Clarke, who will also captain Europe for the Ryder Cup in Minnesota later this year following on from his EurAsia Cup skipper’s role.

“It’s match-play golf and you go head-to-head and whenever you go head-to-head you get the juices going. That’s obviously nice as the first tournament of the year,” he said. “It’s done me some good.”

Europe have won seven of the last nine Ryder Cups and are 2.10 to make it eight from 10 in 2016, with the USA the 1.91 favourites while the tie is at 11.00.