Poulter’s victory revives career
HOUSTON: Ian Poulter resurrected his stagnant career by winning the Houston Open in a playoff yesterday, the victory coming with an added bonus of earning the final invitation to the Masters and throwing his hat into the ring for Europe’s Ryder Cup team.
Poulter was always heading to Augusta to work on the tournament for British television, but the 42yearold Englishman will now be inside the ropes instead when the first major of the year starts on Friday.
‘‘There’s life in the old dog yet,’’ Poulter said after beating American Beau Hossler on the first hole of a suddendeath playoff at Golf Club of Houston.
Poulter, without a win since 2012, arrived in Houston needing nothing less than victory to qualify for the
Masters after missing out by a whisker when he found himself 51st in the world rankings last week.
The top 50 at last week’s cut off earned exemption to
Augusta and Poulter was so dejected after being initially misinformed he was in the Masters field that he considered skipping Houston.
‘‘Tuesday morning I made the decision to come and play,’’ he said. ‘‘The win doesn’t just mean getting to Augusta. There’s a lot bigger things on the horizon.’’
The stars aligned for Poulter at the final hole in regulation play yesterday, when Hossler grazed the hole with a birdie attempt that would have clinched victory.
‘‘He thought he had holed it. I thought he holed it,’’ Poulter, whose 6m birdie putt was on a similar line.
Using the same putter he wielded so effectively to lead Europe to victory in the 2012 Ryder Cup, he came through in the clutch yet again to force the playoff.
Poulter matched Hossler’s 67 which meant the pair tied at 19underpar 269, three shots clear of Jordan Spieth and Emiliano Grillo.
Hossler then handed Poulter the tournament at the first extra hole, the parfour 18th, where the American hit his third shot from a greenside bunker into a water hazard.