"Come on you fat git from Milton Keynes. Hole this putt." That was what I was thinking as I watched my foursomes partner Ian Poulter putt on the 14th green of our match against Stewart Cink and Chad Campbell on the second morning of the Ryder Cup. And he did. That came at a point in the game when something needed to happen and he stepped up there and proved his mettle and made the putt. To me it was amazing because I was watching him putt and to me he is good old Ian, my mate, the lad who worked as an assistant pro in a pro's shop eating too many Mars bars and now we're at the Ryder Cup playing together on the biggest stage in golf. It was an awesome feeling.

Ian and I have got two points out of three. We are proving ourselves as a partnership. You know one of Ian's strengths is that he can talk himself into being confident and playing well. He becomes what he says he is going to be in other words. That is his biggest strength and that is what I can learn from.

The secret of our play together is that we both have great short games. If one of us makes a mistake the key is we never ever get upset with one another. We are close friends and our caddies are friends too. We are a tight knit fourball out there. There is never any sorry between us. We don't tiptoe around one another. We tell it to one another straight.

I was not disappointed to be rested from Saturday afternoon's four balls. Nick [Faldo] came to me on the 15th tee and said: "how are you feeling?" I said: "hang on I'll tell you after we've won this hole and won the game." I thought about it and my gut instinct was to take a rest. My right wrist is a little sore. The back is the back. I didn't want to push it too much. Today I didn't play as well as I had. I felt I was getting a little bit scratchy for my own liking and with G Mac [Graeme McDowell] playing well I thought he and Ian they will be a great partnership. And I really value my singles point in the Ryder Cup and give myself my best chance of winning that.

How the 2008 Ryder Cup was won

Follow the final day's play from Valhalla as the 37th Ryder Cup draws to a dramatic conclusion with today's singles matches

• Mission accomplished for United States

• Justin Rose's Ryder Cup diary: I'm heartbroken

• Analysis: misfiring big three cost Europe dear in Ryder Cup

Europe surrender under brilliant assault

The US reclaimed the Ryder Cup for first time since 1999 with a sustained performance in the singles matches at Valhalla

• Elementary approach pays off for J.B. Holmes

• Nick Faldo's bold approach backfires in failure to reclaim initiative from US

• Ryder Cup warning signs to watch out for

Multimedia

• The key moments, match by match

• Is Faldo to blame for Europe's defeat?

Related Links

• Justin Rose's Ryder Cup diary: proud of the way Ian Poulter and I bounced back

• Justin Rose proves the thorn in US sides

What marks Nick Faldo out as a captain is his ability to pass on advice that helps you under the cosh. Visualisation and breathing - they are his two mantras. He says to me: "Keep the positive pictures coming. Keep rehearsing things in your mind. Keep seeing what you want to achieve. Keep believing. Keep seeing the winning putt." It is not rocket science but you have to listen to him because he has won six major championships and been in 11 Ryder Cup teams.

When I look back on my week I am so excited at being here at the Ryder Cup because I really believe I can develop my career from now on. I can make myself a better player this week. In fact, I believe I have already done so. I stood up on the biggest stage and I feel really comfortable. I feel this is where I should be, this is where I want to be and hopefully this is where I will be for some time to come.