Thursday, March 04, 2010

Poulter wins February's Poll

Englishman Ian Poulter has been named The European Tour’s Golfer of the Month for February after claiming his first World Golf Championships title in the WGC-Accenture Match Play at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Dove Mountain, Marana, Arizona. Poulter’s 4 and 2 win over compatriot Paul Casey in the event’s first all European final, was also his first victory on America soil and took him to a career high of fifth in the Official World Golf Ranking. It is the first time the 34 year old Ryder Cup player has won The European Tour’s Golfer of the Month award and he receives a jeroboam of Moët & Chandon champagne and an engraved alms dish in recognition of his achievement. Poulter’s triumph in the 36 hole final against Casey capped a magnificent week for him personally – he also defeated Justin Leonard, Adam Scott, Jeev Milkha Singh, Thongchai Jaidee, and Sergio Garcia en route to the Championship match – as well as The European Tour as a whole, with seven Members making up the last eight in Arizona. “It felt amazing to win a World Golf Championship and I certainly felt very comfortable and in control on the golf course in Arizona,” he said. “It was also great to move up to five in the world and to be recognised with the Golfer of the Month award at the end of it all capped a truly great week for me. “I worked a lot on my game in the off season, particularly on the shots from 100 yards and in, and I think that paid off – I certainly felt like I came out strongly at the start of the year. I feel my game has been in pretty good shape for some time but it was just about ironing out some of the small creases – that has been the thing that has made the big difference.” Poulter won the Award ahead of Spain’s Miguel Angel Jiménez, who became the eighth oldest European Tour champion by capturing the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, and Australian Andrew Dodt, the Avantha Masters champion, as well as European Tour Member Hennie Otto, who won the Sunshine Tour’s Vodacom Championship by nine strokes, and European Challenge Tour Member Michiel Bothma, who claimed the Telkom PGA Championship, also on the Sunshine Tour. South African Charl Schwartzel was named The European Tour Golfer of the Month for January after back-to-back victories in his homeland and both he and Poulter will now go forward for consideration for The 2010 European Tour Golfer of the Year Award at the end of the season.

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