Poulter licks his wounds
IAN POULTER can be rightfully proud returning to Royal Birkdale this week despite his bitter disappointment in finishing down the leaderboard at the Scottish Open.
Poulter went into the final day tied for the lead and looking to end a five-year winless drought but sadly failed to fire in recording a 74 and finishing a distant ninth on seven under par here.
Rafa Cabrera Bello made it back-to-back Spanish victories on the European Tour – after Jon Rahm won last week in Portstewart – by brilliantly birdying the first extra play-off hole in Scotland.
Cabrera Bello, 33, who ended his five-year winless run, had birdied his closing two holes for a new course record of eight-under-par 64 before being joined on 13 under by England’s Callum Shinkwin, who horribly missed a tournament-winning par putt on the last hole in regulation in his round of 68.
The win is Cabrera Bello’s third Tour victory and earned him a whopping £900,000.
“I was very happy, I really gave it a go in the play-off and it worked out for me,” he said.
“I enjoy those pressure situations, they define you.”
Watford-born Shinkwin’s reward, in his rookie season, was a £600,000 cheque, the assurance of retaining his card next year, and also joining Cabrera Bello at Royal Birkdale. “It’s been a very good week and at the end of the day I’ll be more than happy to finish second, but the win was on my mind and didn’t happen,” he said.
“But this result is massively important for me not only to be in the Open but hopefully later in the year I will qualify for the Race to Dubai finals.”
Frenchman Matthieu Pavon (66) finished third on 10 under to secure the second of three spots into the Open.
And Aussie Andrew Dodt, who was planning to travel with his wife to New York on Monday for a break, secured the third Open place and his first appearance in a Major in shooting a last-day 73 and denying Londoner Anthony Wall by virtue of a higher world ranking.
Poulter will tee up on Thursday in coastal Southport in his 14th straight Open and sandwiched among those past 13 appearances is a second place nine years ago when Royal Birkdale last hosted golf’s oldest Major. “I’ve played all the courses on the Open rota and Royal Birkdale has always been my favourite because of 2008 and I’m looking forward to competing there,” he said. “Of course today was not the result I was seeking but I still like playing the week before. “There is still no better way to prepare than to put yourself on a course that’s going to be somewhat similar. And playing over here, same time zone, putting yourself in position where you’re hitting the shots that you’ll be hitting next week – just how much the wind can affect the ball over here, playing the ball on the ground and adjusting a little bit. “It was nice to give myself the chance to win but there’s still a lot at stake next week, and there is still a lot at stake obviously over the summer, so looking forward now to Royal Birkdale.” Ulsterman Graeme McDowell finished on five under and will miss the Open for the first time. The former US Open champion had been looking for a first top-10 of the season to earn his place this week but he carded a 72 to finish sharing 19th position.