Ian Poulter
tried his best to keep a lid on his frustration after a bizarre incident contributed to him earning £352,000 less than he was hoping for.
On the second play-off hole against Swede Robert Karlsson
at the Dubai World Championship, Poulter dropped his ball on his “lucky” marker. Because the marker moved (it actually flipped over) he called for a referee and his worst fears were realised. It was a one-shot penalty.
Instead of having a 30-foot putt for birdie it was suddenly only for par, and after leaving it short Karlsson, four feet away in three on the par-five 18th and favourite to win it in any case, holed for victory.
The 41-year-old won £776,686 compared to Poulter’s £517,789, but that was not all. If he had won the play-off the Englishman would have finished third on this season’s European Tour money list rather than fourth, just behind new number one Martin Kaymer
, Graeme McDowell and Lee Westwood and that would have earned him a £466,012 bonus instead of “only” £372,809.
There was more even than that. The runner-up spot, coming as it did a week after his Hong Kong Open victory, has lifted him from 11th to eighth in the world, but he would have been seventh with back-to-back titles.
Asked how frustrating it was the 34-year-old said: About 20 world ranking points (23 actually), a lovely trophy and about $400,000 – that's gotta hurt!!
tried his best to keep a lid on his frustration after a bizarre incident contributed to him earning £352,000 less than he was hoping for.On the second play-off hole against Swede Robert Karlsson
at the Dubai World Championship, Poulter dropped his ball on his “lucky” marker. Because the marker moved (it actually flipped over) he called for a referee and his worst fears were realised. It was a one-shot penalty.Instead of having a 30-foot putt for birdie it was suddenly only for par, and after leaving it short Karlsson, four feet away in three on the par-five 18th and favourite to win it in any case, holed for victory.
The 41-year-old won £776,686 compared to Poulter’s £517,789, but that was not all. If he had won the play-off the Englishman would have finished third on this season’s European Tour money list rather than fourth, just behind new number one Martin Kaymer
, Graeme McDowell and Lee Westwood and that would have earned him a £466,012 bonus instead of “only” £372,809.There was more even than that. The runner-up spot, coming as it did a week after his Hong Kong Open victory, has lifted him from 11th to eighth in the world, but he would have been seventh with back-to-back titles.
Asked how frustrating it was the 34-year-old said: About 20 world ranking points (23 actually), a lovely trophy and about $400,000 – that's gotta hurt!!
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