Poulter’s Masters hopes all but over after bitter defeat by Kisner
Ian Poulter fell agonisingly short in his bid to qualify for the Masters when he was on the wrong end of a crushing 8 & 6 scoreline in the quarter-finals of the WGC Match Play here.
The Englishman needed to advance to the semi-finals to break back into the world’s top 50 before tomorrow’s deadline. Yet after looking supreme in beating South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen, Poulter dramatically lost his way against the American Kevin Kisner, suffering his biggest match play defeat as a professional.
“It was rubbish,” Poulter said. “It’s a shame. I didn’t give him any fight at all. It was a stark contrast to making eight birdies in the morning.”
The rankings will make painful reading to the 42-year-old when he finds himself in 51st place, less than 300ths of a point off his Augusta goal.
What made the scenario seem even crueller was that after his morning victory he was informed he had already done enough before being told the statisticians had made an error.
“I should never listen to other people,” he said. “When you finish a round of golf and everybody is telling you you’re in the Masters, and then you get a text message 10 minutes before you tee off, saying, ‘Oh, we’ve made a mistake, actually, no, that was wrong, you’re not in, you need to go and win …’ Not that that’s an excuse. That wasn’t any part of this afternoon.”
Poulter has one more chance of gaining a berth, but needs to win the Houston Open, starting on Thursday. Otherwise, he will be absent from the season’s first major for the second year running. “I don’t know if I will play Houston,” he said. “It’s been a draining week. I’ll wait until Monday night and if I have the energy then I will.”
He must take the positives from this week. At the very least he reminded everyone of his match play talents with four wins in succession. Certainly Thomas Bjorn, Europe’s Ryder Cup captain, will have been impressed with that run and, in particular, his win against Oosthuizen. Poulter was eight under for the 17 holes and even though Austin Country Club was playing easier than the previous three days – with the barest of breezes and softening greens – that was still a mighty display.
Alas, his form was to disintegrate, as he lost five holes in a row from the third against Kisner, who could line up for the USA in September. In fairness, Kisner, the world No 36, did make four birdies to the turn, and by then there was no way back for Poulter.
It meant an end to British interest as Tyrrell Hatton was knocked out 2 & 1 by Cam Smith. There was no shame for Hatton: he was six under and pushed his rival hard with three birdies in their last three holes. The 26-year-old should go into the Masters with optimism. The world No16 is skipping Houston and will accompany Matt Fitzpatrick to Augusta for a reconnaissance mission.
Alex Noren is the lone European. The Swede faces Kisner in this morning’s semi-final, having accounted for Smith 4 & 2. In the other semi-final Justin Thomas plays Bubba Watson – the two-time Masters champion who dispatched Thai Kiradech Aphibarnrat 5 & 3 – knowing that if he beats his fellow American he will replace Dustin Johnson as world No1.
“I don’t care when it happens, I just hope it happens and I stay there for a while,” Thomas said after defeating Kyle Stanley 2 & 1. “I don’t know what to say because I’ve never experienced it. I don’t know what’s going to come with it. I’m just worried about trying to beat Bubba.”
The 24-year-old’s progression here has been remarkable because he was doubtful he would play at the start of the week due to illness. “I was 50/50 on Monday,” Thomas said. “I played nine holes on Monday and there were probably 15 people watching me. Go and find any of them and see if they thought I was ready to play. Some of the shots I hit were pretty funny.”