Ian Poulter reacted angrily today to claims that European team captain Nick Faldo has already told him he will be one of his two wildcard selections for next month's Ryder Cup.

In an extraordinary outburst, Poulter said he was "disgusted" by the suggestion and hit out at Cup stalwart Colin Montgomerie, who had hinted the Englishman had "a hotline" to Faldo.

Poulter was speaking ahead of today's first round of the Deutsche Bank Championship being played over the TPC Boston course in the United States.

His decision to tee it up there, rather than try to secure one of the 10 automatic Cup qualifying places in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, led some rivals to believe the 32-year-old has been assured of a place in the team heading for Kentucky.

The Gleneagles tournament is the final qualifying event before, on Sunday evening, Faldo names his two wildcard picks to complete his 12-man team to take on Paul Azinger's American side.

Poulter's change of heart - he had originally planned on playing at Gleneagles if necessary to make the team - led to all sorts of speculation.

Nick Dougherty expressed his belief that Faldo must have told Poulter his place was safe. And Poulter, runner-up to Padraig Harrington in last month's Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, admitted he had spoken with Faldo.

He said: "I told him of my decision to play here, and I got the best answer I could possibly get off a captain - 'You've got to do what's right for you.'"

As for the comment by Montgomerie that Poulter "seems to have a hotline to Faldo", the player famed for his outrageous fairway fashions replied: "The fact is I know Nick, and I've been fairly friendly with Nick since I've come on tour. I shouldn't stop that just because he's Ryder Cup captain.

"I don't need to get into a discussion with Monty. He's got enough work to do this week to try to make the side himself. He should just be getting his head down and trying to play good golf."

With Poulter, Montgomerie, Darren Clarke and Paul Casey the four obvious candidate for Faldo's two picks, tension is beginning to mount.

But Poulter, seeking a second Cup cap after making his debut in 2004, insists that is no excuse for the barbs aimed in his direction.

He said: "I can safely say, hand on heart, that I have not been given the nod. Just to clear that up once and for all, to stop all of the nonsense that's been in the papers, the nonsense from the players talking. I truly have not been given the nod, that is the truth.

"I'm disgusted that people, players and media think that Nick Faldo would be that unprofessional to have done such a thing a week before a number of different scenarios could have actually happened.

"It's pathetic that people can write or think that. He's a professional. He's been a professional for the last 30 years of his career. He's not going to start changing that now."

Back at Gleneagles, where the state of the greens has been another hot topic, the fact that Frenchman Gregory Havret shot a 68 to take a two-shot lead into the second round was almost forgotten as the battle for Ryder Cup places hotted up.

Oliver Wilson - in the 10th and last automatic Cup qualifying spot and under pressure from Martin Kaymer, Ross Fisher and Nick Dougherty - managed only a three-over-par 76. But so did Kaymer after losing a ball at the 14th hole.

Fisher did better with a 72 but he has to finish third to have a chance while Dougherty, who needs first or second place, battled away for a 73.

Justin Rose and Soren Hansen are not yet safe at eighth and ninth on the points table, but by scoring level par and two-under respectively they can rest reasonably easy.

Clarke, winner in Holland on Sunday, was satisfied with a 72 and Montgomerie said his 74 "by no means" put him out of contention.