Poulter has never missed the cut in 11 appearances in the HNA Open de France at Le Golf National, which will host the biennial contest between Europe and the United States - in which Poulter has often been a key figure - in September 2018.
The 41-year-old was third in 2006 and 2009 and fourth in 2012 and needs similarly good performances in his next three starts to claim one of the nine available places at Royal Birkdale via the Open Qualifying Series.
Moving into the world's top 50 from his current position of 81st would also secure a place in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational ahead of the final major of the year, the US PGA Championship at Quail Hollow.
"I've spent a good couple of weeks back home resting, preparing, obviously to come into the series of events right here, which is quite important," said Poulter, who was second in the Players Championship at Sawgrass in May.
"This week is a week where I've performed very well in the past. I've had some great finishes in France and hopefully we can have another one this week.
"I've got my sights on playing some really good golf over the next number of weeks. It's potentially a very long schedule I have in the summer and that's why I've taken a couple of weeks off.
"If I can play the way I'd like to play in the next three events, French Open, Irish Open, Scottish Open, somehow make my way obviously into The Open Championship, that's four in a row.
"I'm playing the Canadian Open, that's five. If I play and bring myself into the top 50 in the world, WGC is the week after and then the US PGA.
"I've got to manage how I prepare, don't go too crazy on the practice. Just when I'm ready to go, play well, rest up and hopefully I can go on a long run through the summer, win a couple of tournaments and move up in the rankings."
The leading three players, who are not already exempt, who finish in the top 10 in Paris will earn a place in the Open, although Poulter has the back-up plan of Tuesday's 36-hole final qualifier at his home club of Woburn.
One player who does not have any such worries is former world number one Martin Kaymer, whose 2014 US Open victory has already sealed his place at Birkdale.
That surprisingly remains the German's last victory worldwide, a statistic the 32-year-old will be keen to address at a venue where he won in 2009 and has finished fifth and fourth the last two years.
"It's one of those golf courses I've really enjoyed in the past, every year I played since I'm on Tour," he said. "It's one of those courses where you don't need to shoot five or six under par every round. When you shoot par, one, two under, it's usually a good score.
"Even when you're two or three shots behind, you kind of still fancy your chances on Sunday afternoon because a lot can happen there. You can attack or you can play defensive and you can make from birdies to double, triple-bogey and I think that's always a great finish for a golf tournament."
