Next stop Augusta Poulter’s brilliant comeback seals Masters spot
Englishman qualifies in Houston Open thriller Ryder Cup hero holes 20ft putt to force play-off
Even when the 82nd Masters finally looked a dream too far, Ian Poulter refused to stop believing. The Englishman slipped into full Ryder Cup mode, dramatically holing a 20-footer to enforce a play-off and then prevailing on the first extra hole.
Poor Beau Hossler did not know what had hit him, although if the young American wanted to know he need only ask any of his countrymen who played in the 2012 Ryder Cup.
This was Poulter’s very own Medinah. He inspired a whole continent to fight back in Chicago six years ago and spurred on himself in the same inimitable fashion at the Houston Open.
So Poulter will play at Augusta and almost certainly, after this incredible display in the final three rounds, at the Ryder Cup in September as well.
This was his first strokeplay win in American and his first anywhere since his year from the gods in 2012.
If anything sums up his indefatigable spirit it is the fact that in 35 years, the PGA Tour has never witnessed any player coming from as low down as 123rd on the firstround leaderboard to take home the title.
His 64-65-67 to go from one-over to 19-under were quite possibly the best three rounds of his life. And what made it all the more remarkable was the letdown he felt the previous weekend at the WGC Match Play.
After Poulter had reached the quarter-final in Austin he was erroneously informed by the media that he had done enough to break back into the world’s top 50 before last Monday’s deadline.
However, the stats gurus had made a ghastly error and just before he teed off against Kevin Kisner, Poulter was informed that he in fact needed to reach the semi-final.
Poulter did not blame the distraction for causing his 8&6 thumping to Kisner, but he was clearly annoyed.
‘This is amazing. My first strokeplay in the States and with the Masters on the line is unbelievable’
His mood was not helped when he discovered that at 51st in the rankings, he came up short by less than three-hundredths of a ranking point. Poulter was not even sure about travelling to Houston but is obviously now ecstatic he did not withdraw.
“Last week was painful and to come here this week, I was tired and frustrated,” Poulter said. “This is amazing. My first strokeplay win in the States and to do it with the Masters on the line is unbelievable. It’s been a tough few years with injuries and stuff and I must thank my wife, Katie, for helping me through it.”
With just one space remaining in the first major of the season, Poulter had no option but to win or else travel to Augusta as a Sky Sports analyst like last year.
Yet, despite pulling clear on the back nine and despite fending off Jordan Spieth – supposedly his most dangerous pursuer – Poulter looked set to be denied by an American rookie chasing his first PGA Tour title.
Hossler, ranked 213th in the world, had not even previously recorded a top-three in his professional career, but somehow found it within himself to birdie four holes in succession on the back nine to overhaul his illustrious playing partner.
Poulter, who had did little wrong, could but watch and shake his head and wonder if this Masters was always going to be out of his reach.
After his close call of the week before it seemed so cruel, and his fate seemed sealed on the 18th when the 23-year-old from California played a spectacular approach from the fairway bunker on the treacherous 18th safely on to the green, with water lurking on the left.
Hossler then shaved the hole with his birdie attempt, leaving Poulter with an unlikely chance to enforce the play-off. He couldn’t, could he?
Poulter knew it was in eight feet out and bashed his fist on to his heart, just like he had in the blueand-gold all those years before. The shell-shocked Hossler was doomed at this point, with his emotions betraying him when they played the 18th again.
He thinned his shot from the greenside bunker into the lake and Poulter’s remarkable comeback was confirmed. A few more fistpumps for the American gallery to lap up.
Back in third, Spieth was delighted to resurrect his form in time for his shot at a second green jacket. The 24-year-old has rekindled memories of three years ago, when he tasted Augusta glory after coming close in Houston.
“I joked to Michael [Greller, his caddie], saying ‘I don’t necessarily want to win, I want to get close because that looks like 2015’,” he said. “But the progress that was made in the last eight or nine days has been as much as I’ve made in eight or nine days in my career, and I need to continue to do that.
“There’s a lot of work left but today was a huge step forward. I believe I was positive today in strokes gained, which is probably the first time I’ve been that in a while.”