It took a long time coming, but finally Ian Poulter's Ryder Cup came alight at the 15th hole of his second match at Gleneagles on Saturday.
The 38-year-old Englishman and playing partner Rory McIlroy were looking down and out at the 15th hole of their morning fourballs against Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker.
But that was when the Poulter of Valhalla (2008), Celtic Manor (2010) and especially Medinah (2010) emerged from his hiding place to sink an outrageous pitch over a bunker and right into the back of the hole.
Cue fist pumps, bulging eyes and victory cry as all the frustrations came out. A hole later the same again, as a Poulter putt for birdie put the Europe team level en route to an eventual half that saved their team's lead.
"There was a lot of emotion. It has been waiting to come out," Poulter said. "It took way too long for it to do so, but it was nice to be able to do it in that fashion and get something out of that match."
Poulter was not one of the automatic qualifiers for Paul McGinley's Ryder Cup team, but such was his record in the biennial event that it was nigh on impossible for captain Paul McGinley not to make him one of his three wildcard picks.
Poulter, whose form has been mixed this year, was up for it of course, loving the Ryder Cup as he does, and he was quick to put his hand up to play with Scottish rookie Stephen Gallacher in Friday's opening fourballs.
That was when things started to go wrong.
Gallacher was a bag of nerves and Poulter simply had neither the form nor the substance to counter dashing US rookie pair Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed as they ran up a thumping 5 and four win.
The Englishman was benched for the afternoon foursomes and McGinley sent him out with world number one McIlroy early Saturday in a bid to restore his confidence.
That appeared to be backfiring until the 15th hole, but Poulter is humble enough to acknowledge that all is still not well with his game.
"Obviously I haven't played my best golf. So you know, you just have to get something going. You have to stay positive," he said.
"You have to keep telling yourself the good stuff's coming. But it took quite a while. So I don't use a psychologist.
"I understand what it takes to get me going. I've got a big heart and I love this Ryder Cup."
McGinley might have been tempted to see if Poulter's late pitch and putt had turned him around, but one again he was not asked to return to action for the afternoon's foursomes.
Poulter said he has no problem with that.
"There are lots of other guys that want to go this afternoon as well. Only eight can get out on the golf course, we have 12 great players," he said.
"There's no egos on this team. This is 12 great players that all want to play golf and you have respect the captain's decision."
There remains Sunday's closing 12 singles, when Poulter is assured of playing and where his record of four matches and four wins speaks for itself.
