Poulter out to fashion a big break like his best friend Rose

The source of his inspiration can be found on the other side of the garden wall at his Orlando home. Poulter's neighbour is his best friend Justin Rose, newly crowned king of the European Order of Merit.

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Four days after Rose won the Volvo Masters, the final event of the 2007 European Tour, eight time zones away in Valderrama, Poulter was helping to open the 2008 season at the HSBC Champions tournament in Shanghai.

After top 10 finishes in two of his three previous events, an opening two-under-par 70 yesterday left Poulter decently placed in a tournament which is considered Asia's major. It was the bogey-free manner of it which convinced the Englishman he can emulate his good buddy.

Poulter said: "It's brilliant to see what Justin has done. He's worked hard on his game when he's had to and has been in great form.

"As a friend, I know how hard he's worked and I know it's possible. We can all move up in the world rankings, like he has moved up and like David Howell did two years ago, going from top 50 to top 10.

"It inspires me. I want to win every tournament I play, but you have to be fit, you have to be fresh and you have to be ready. Sometimes when you play five weeks in a row, you're not fit or ready.

"I've played well recently but, no, I don't wish the year wasn't ending. Trust me, I've had enough. You've got to have seven, eight weeks off.

"It's the only time you have in the year to do your gym work and test equipment. And spending it in Orlando, you can hit balls every day and just go and get fit."

Before he can bask in the Florida sunshine, Poulter has first to chase down joint leaders Niclas Fasth and Kevin Stadler, whose rounds of 64 gave them a three-shot lead.

Then in a fortnight, also in China, he will team up with Rose to represent England in the World Cup.

As the highest-placed Englishman in the world rankings, Rose had choice of partner for the two-man event — a further example of the pair's closeness, even though Rose may not be prepared for the joint fashion statement Poulter is lining up.

Poulter said: "Yes, we might have team colours but I'm not telling you exactly what. It would be nice to be colour co-ordinated. Red and white would be a nice little combination, the St George's cross and all that.

"I'm very, very excited about the World Cup. It's going to be great, really good fun. My golf is rock steady. I had 16 pars and two birdies today.

"If I do that with my wing man Justin all the way round, then all of a sudden we're going to be in good shape for the World Cup."

For a man who can hardly be missed on the fairways, Poulter was largely anonymous to the galleries yesterday. Actually, virtually everyone was anonymous to the galleries at the Sheshen Golf Club.

Golf in China remains a spectator novelty and without Tiger Woods — absent for the first time in the three years of the HSBC Champions — the sparse crowds had little knowledge of who they were watching.