IAN POULTER will be heading to Australia brimming with confidence following his sensational fighting performance to snatch the 2012 World Golf Championships – HSBC Champions event from an all-star field in China.
The flamboyant Englishman showed all the guts and determination he exhibited as the major inspiration behind Europe’s recent Ryder Cup triumph.
Poulter shot two 65’s on the weekend at the Mission Hills Golf Club to finish the event on 21-under, two strokes ahead of joint runners-up Phil Mickelson, Jason Dufner, Ernie Els and Scott Piercy.
All those players, joined by tearaway early round leader Louis Oosthuizen, final round leader Lee Westwood and even Australia’s Adam Scott, had stuck their heads up at various stages as big threats to the title.
But it was Poulter who showed his incredible ability – at least when on song – to sink the crucial putts when it really matters. Starting the final round four strokes behind, he finished the day on 7-under after piling on eight birdies.
Poulter said he would take a few days off before heading to Melbourne to defend his Australian Master title at the Kingston Heath Golf Club next week (November 15 to 18).
“I feel fantastic,” Poulter said after what was his second WGC victory (2012 Accenture Match Play Championship). “I feel great. After looking at the board after two days, Louis being five shots clear – if he carries on that way, he was going to run away. But it was nice to put up two scores over the weekend, 14 under for Saturday and Sunday is a decent finish, and nice to get another victory in a year where there [was none] was sorely needed.
“As well as I’ve played this year, it would have been a disappointment personally to have gone that year without winning, and for me and for how I played this year, it’s obviously a great and fantastic feeling especially after The Ryder Cup to get my hands back on a great trophy like this.
“I definitely think it is a part continuation of The Ryder Cup. I played great and I felt like I holed putts at the right time, which I did.”
WGC – HSBC Champions Leaderboard