Ian Poulter wins Houston Open on the first playoff hole against Beau Hossler after they were tied for the lead at 19-under-269 with matching final rounds of five-under 67 posted by both.
Down to his last putt, Poulter made a 20-foot birdie on the last hole to force a playoff against Hossler, and then he won the Houston Open with a par on the first extra hole to earn the last spot in Masters.
Just last week Poulter was misinformed that he has made it to the Masters, to make it real, all have been answered with his win today, after a long gap of six years.
"Last week was painful. To come here this week I was tired and frustrated. I had packed my bags to leave on Friday night, and had a mental switch," Poulter said.
"I was patient, I waited my time and this is amazing. I haven't won a strokeplay event in the United States before and to do it this week is amazing.
Poulter pounded his chest five times when the putt dropped, and all Hossler could do was smile.
In the sudden-death playoff on the 18th, Hossler found the bunker for the second time. He hit into a greenside bunker, and his third shot caught way too much ball and went over the green and into the water.
Poulter was calmly waiting for Hossler to reach the green after he took a penalty drop, chipped onto the green and took two putts for a triple-bogey.
Poulter won for the third time on the PGA Tour and his first in America since the Match Play in 2010 at Arizona. It was his first victory since the HSBC Champions, a WGC event at Mission Hills in China in 2012.
Poulter has now cracked the Top-30 in the world and now has two-year exemptions, critical because he almost lost his card a year ago until he was spared by a clerical error by the tour.
Jordan Spieth closed with a 66 on Sunday, taking his total to 16-under-272 for a T-3rd position on the board with Emiliano Grillo. It was Spieth's best finish since he tied for second in the Dell Technologies Championship in September.
The opening round leader and PGA Tour rookie Sam Ryder finished for the fifth position on the board with a final round 68 at 15-under-273, a shot short from Spieth and Grillo.
Henrik Stenson and Keith Mitchell stood T-6th at 14-under-274, with matching 69's on Sunday. Henrik Stenson even waited for Poulter to arrive at the airport for their ride home.
Phil Mickelson, Martin Piller, Bronson Burgoon, Tony Finau, Jamie Lovemark, Scott Piercy, Luke List, and Shawn Steffani stood at T-24th on the board at 10-under-278.
Filed Under: News Tagged With: 2018 Masters Tournament, Beau Hossler, Bronson Burgoon, Dell Technologies Championship, Emiliano Grillo, Henrik Stenson, Houston Open, Ian Poulter, Jamie Lovemark, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Keith Mitchell, Luke List, Martin Piller, Masters, PGA Tour, Phil Mickelson, Rickie Fowler, Scott Piercy, Shawn Steffani, Tony Finau.