Poulter, Hossler eye Masters bid
Ian Poulter has played in the Masters a dozen times, never missing the cut. Beau Hossler has never played a competitive round at Augusta National.
Both are in position to become the last man in the Masters field, and neither wants to think about it.
The 42-year-old Poulter surged into a share of the lead at the Houston Open yesterday in Humble, Texas, with a 7-under 65, and Hossler, a 23-year-old PGA Tour rookie, matched him at 14-under 202 after he holed a 7-footer for birdie on the par-4 18th to shoot 69.
Like all PGA events that offer full FedEx Cup points, the Houston Open title comes with an invitation to next week’s Masters.
“No, not thinking about it, not talking about it,” Poulter said. “I’m going to go out and have fun tomorrow. There’s a lot of ifs and buts. I’ll have no emotion at all. I’m in a no-lose situation. I’ll go do my job.”
Four players were 2 shots behind Poulter and Hossler — Australian Greg Chalmers (65), Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo (67), American Kevin Tway (69) and Paul Dunne of Ireland (69). None of them has a spot at Augusta yet either.
Hossler has popped up on a major leaderboard before — he briefly led the 2012 U.S. Open while still in high school — and he said getting to the Masters would be “as good as it gets.” But he said contemplating that opportunity would only lead to “trouble” today.
Poulter shot 64 on Friday after opening with a 73 that had him packing his bags in anticipation of a missed cut. It was the first time since his last victory in 2012 that he had consecutive rounds of 65 or better on the PGA Tour.
Asked if his rounds ranked among the best back-to-back efforts in his 23 years on tour, he said, “From a putting standpoint, yes, absolutely.”
Poulter nearly made it into the Masters last week with a run to the quarterfinals at the Dell Technologies Match Play, which improved his world ranking to 51st. He needed to reach the semifinals to get to Augusta but lost, 8 and 6, to Kevin Kisner.
Rickie Fowler birdied three of the first four holes to move into the lead before he faltered with a double bogey on the sixth and a triple bogey, including a 3-putt from inside 7 feet, on the par-5 13th. He shot 73 and was 5 shots back.
Jordan Spieth had four 3-putts in the first eight holes, including two misses from inside 4 feet, and shot 71. He trailed by 4 shots. Henrik Stenson and
Matt Kuchar were 11-under, among 12 players within 3 shots of the lead.
Ninety players teed off, the most in almost three years on the PGA Tour, after Bobby Gates’ final-hole bogey on Friday allowed an additional 20 players to make the cut. Seventyfive remain, including Phil Mickelson, who had a double bogey and a triple bogey in his round of 72.
Now Hossler and Poulter are hoping for the chance to get to the Masters.
LPGA: Lindberg leads
Pernilla Lindberg took advantage of playing partner Sung Hyun Park’s late collapse to take a 3-stroke lead in the ANA Inspiration in Rancho Mirage, Calif.
Lindberg shot a 2-under 70, putting the 31-year-old Swede in position to make the major her first professional victory. Amy Olson (68) was second.
Lindberg was 2 strokes behind after Park birdied the par-5 11th. Then Park dropped 5 strokes in the next five holes.
Park had a 74 to fall into a tie for third at 10-under with Inbee Park, Moriya Jutanugarn, Jennifer Song, Jodi Ewart Shadoff and Charley Hull.