• ‘ It’ s going to have a little while to sink in. I’ m super excited’
Ian Poulter celebrates after his winning putt
Photograph: Stacy Revere/Getty Images
There must now be an obvious and present danger of the Experts proving anticlimactic. Ian Poulter, a person utterly dejected when sharing 123rd place after the opening round from the Houston Open, a player wrongly knowledgeable he had qualified for the Masters just before falling to a heavy defeat on the WGC Match Play and a gamer who needed to convert a birdie putt from 19ft to extend that Augusta dream, is a champion once again. The circumstances of Poulter’ t triumph belied sceptical theories regarding golf’ s lack of appeal.
Poulter strode to triumph in Houston, at the first play-off hole against the earlier inspired Sweetheart Hossler, in a manner that summed up their ferociously competitive attitude. This designated his maiden strokeplay success to the PGA Tour . The additional prize is really crucial: Poulter will be afforded the particular 87th and final Masters place.
“ It is incredible, to get this done today to get me in order to Augusta is amazing, ” Poulter said. “ My first strokeplay win in the States, and to do it with all the Masters on the line, is unbelievable. A week ago [at the Match Play] was unpleasant and to come here this week I had been tired and frustrated.
“ It’ s going to have a little while to sink in. I’ m super excited. It’ h been a rollercoaster the last few years, to be honest. To be down where I had been has been tough. ”
Indeed, the 42-year-old had ended up outside the world’ s top two hundred. Poulter had been one over k?rester after 18 Houston holes plus prepared to return home before acquiring to Augusta National in a transmitting capacity. His leaderboard recovery through Friday was statistically the best within the PGA Tour in 35 yrs. He will likely now move into the particular world’ s top 30, having a Ryder Cup appearance in Italy later this year suddenly highly most likely.
On what became an extraordinary Texas afternoon Poulter at one particular stage held a four-shot business lead. His bogey at the 9th failed to appear hugely significant but Hossler, chasing a first ever PGA Visit win, birdied four holes in the row from the 12th to advantage a stroke in front. Poulter, within providing a moment so in melody with his iconic Ryder Cup excursions, holed out for a closing birdie to force extra holes. This individual needed only one as Hossler discovered a greenside bunker and then drinking water.
“ I got the very best of Ian Poulter today and got the best of me, ” said Hossler. “ Unfortunately this individual came out on top this time but Personally i think good about my chances continuing to move forward and I feel good that I can deal when it’ s important.
“ I said the other day I wanted to beat these guys in their best and I think I saw Ian’ ersus best today. It’ s the bummer right now but I’ meters proud of the way I played. ”
