Poulter almost gets escorted off on arrival

TURNBERRY, Scotland (Reuters) - Warm welcomes are normally par for the course for players at the British Open but 2008 runner-up Ian Poulter suffered an unusual bout of heckling on his arrival.

"I turned up Sunday night, had a little look on the 18th green and security guards came out (saying), 'what are you doing?, get off," the smiling Briton told reporters at a rain-lashed Turnberry on Tuesday.

"It's okay, I'm playing (I replied). That was my first look and I nearly got escorted off."

The flamboyantly-dressed Poulter, one of the most recognizable players in golf, says he has been working on his game at home as he bids to go one better by lifting the Claret Jug on Sunday.

"I've spent a little bit more time back at the house working on the visuals of the golf course, the tee shots, which way the wind is going to be blowing, what clubs I need to hit," said the world number 18.

YARDAGE BOX

"It's all in my yardage book. Yardage books nowadays have photographs on them of the actual tee box so it's got (details of) carries and obviously you can work out the wind direction."

The Englishman, who has not won a tournament for more than 18 months, believes his display at Birkdale last year when he finished four strokes behind winner Padraig Harrington will stand him in good stead this week.

"I'm always a confident player but for sure to be in that position and to actually get close but not close enough, yes, it's a huge confidence boost and I do believe I can go one step further," he said.

"We'll have to see Sunday night."

Poulter plays alongside big-hitting American JB Holmes and Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez in the opening rounds on Thursday and Friday.

(Editing by Tony Jimenez)