The Irish Golf Club Gazette: Ian Poulter

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8/09/2015

Shane Lowry Leads Bridgestone

Shane Lowry moved to the top of the leaderboard after making a bright start on the final day of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

Birdies at the second and eighth holes took the Irishman to the turn in 33, and with overnight co-leaders Jim Furyk and Justin Rose dropping shots early on, the 28 year old led the field heading into his back nine.

Lowry then made another gain at the tenth to go ten under par with eight holes left to play.

Furyk, who began the day on nine under, made a gain at the second to increase his lead before dropping a shot at the par three fifth.

Another bogey at the eighth saw Furyk slip back to eight under alongside countryman Bubba Watson, who fired four birdies and a solitary bogey in his opening 11 holes.

Rose fell off the top of the leaderboard when he carded bogeys at the fourth and seventh to drop to seven under par.

But the World Number Eight was back in a share of second place after a superb birdie at the tricky par four ninth.

Meanwhile Ryder Cup star Ian Poulter started strongly, carding an eagle on the par five second, but he then fell off the pace after a double bogey at the fourth and bogeys at the sixth and seventh, ninth and tenth.

Søren Kjeldsen fired seven birdies and three bogeys as he posted a battling 66 on Sunday to finish on three under par.

Lowry Lurks in Rose Shadow

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Shane Lowry is looking forward to the final round of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational after carding a three under par 67 on Saturday.

The 28 year old heads into the last day of the tournament on seven under par, two shots behind co-leaders Justin Rose and Jim Furyk.

Lowry's third round got off to a solid start, with birdies at the second and fourth holes taking him to the turn in 33.

He made another gain at the 11th and came within a shot of the lead after his fourth birdie of the day on the 12th, but he bogeyed the next two holes before a birdie on the 16th sent him to within two shots of the co-leaders.

He said: "I'm pretty happy. There were a couple of slip ups on the back nine, but all in all I played quite nice.

"I gave myself a couple of chances coming in. It would have been nice to hole that one on the last but I'm right where I want to be going into tomorrow.

"I'm looking forward to it. It is a big event and I have a chance of going out there and doing something special.

"My game has been good for a couple of years now. I feel like I'm driving the ball quite well.

"If I can hole a few putts, I can do something special.

"I just need to go out and do my own thing, chill out in the morning and get out there and hopefully do something good."

Englishman Ian Poulter is among a group of four players two shots further behind Lowry after he carded seven birdies and two bogeys on his way to an impressive 65 on Saturday.

The Ryder Cup star began his round with four birdies in the first six holes before a bogey on the seventh slowed his charge.

Three birdies and another bogey on the back nine saw him climb to joint fourth, along with Steven Bowditch, Bubba Watson and Henrik Stenson.

Stenson carded five birdies and three bogeys as he posted a two under par 68 on Saturday.

Graeme McDowell and Brooks Koepka are among those another shot back on four under after firing 69 and 68 respectively on day three.

McDowell is pleased with the progress he has made in recent weeks. He said: "I'm really happy with the leaps I've made the last few weeks. My game is really turning the corner in a positive way, so I'm really happy.

"This is a testing golf course off the tee. I haven't hit enough fairways, but it's getting there with the rest of the stuff.

"It all bodes well for tomorrow. I am looking forward to it and going into next week."

7/13/2015

Spieth Eases Towards Number 1

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Jordan Spieth will replace Rory McIlroy as world number one if he wins the 144th Open Championship and completes the third leg of an unprecedented calendar grand slam.

Spieth’s play-off victory in the John Deere Classic on Sunday means he can overtake McIlroy, who has been ruled out of his title defence with an ankle injury, in the rankings by lifting the Claret Jug at St Andrews.

The 21-year-old’s decision to compete in Illinois, where he won his first PGA Tour title in 2013, rather than contest the Scottish Open at Gullane or practise on links courses in Britain has been questioned by the likes of former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley.

But the Masters and US Open champion had no doubts it was the right decision after defeating veteran Tom Gillis on the second extra hole.

“I really didn’t care anyway,” Spieth said. “I came here for a reason, and we accomplished that reason, and certainly have some momentum going into next week. This tournament means a lot to me. This is a tournament I truly love.

“I’ve got plenty in the tank. Leading into the Masters, those couple of weeks right before could have taken a lot out of me with a runner-up finish and then a play-off loss. And we rebounded nicely.”

Spieth is a strong favourite for the Open despite only having played one round at the Old Course before the 2011 Walker Cup at Royal Aberdeen, with US Open runner-up Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler next in the betting.

Fowler’s win at Gullane has lifted him to a career-high fifth in the world rankings and the 26-year-old is now hoping to emulate Phil Mickelson in 2013 by winning the Scottish Open and Open Championship in consecutive weeks.

Former world number one Tiger Woods, who won the Open at St Andrews in 2000 and 2005 and spent the weekend practising at the Old Course, fell from 226th in the rankings to 241st.

5/27/2015

Illonen Defends Irish Title

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Mikko Ilonen is relishing the opportunity to play in front of what he believes are among the “most knowledgeable golf fans” in the world when the Finn returns to defend his title at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open hosted by the Rory Foundation this week.

The five-time European Tour winner emerged victorious at Fota Island Resort last year to claim what was the first of two wins in The 2014 Race to Dubai.

The 35 year old admitted that he was shocked when he eventually took a step back and assessed the size of the crowds there to witness him overcome Edoardo Molinari by one shot in Cork.

He cannot wait to get back out there and defend his title, over a truly spectacular lay-out in the Northern Irish town of Newcastle which holds a special place in his heart having won here as an amateur.

“It feels good to be back because a lot of people are welcoming me back,” he said. “Obviously I have good memories from the distant past, having won an amateur tournament here in the late 90s and winning The Irish Open last year.

“It's nice to be back here, whether you're defending or not. But I'm a lucky one this week to have that trophy in my hands still another couple of days.

“The best thing coming back to Ireland every year is the crowds. I know all the players, caddies, whoever is part of the tournament, they always tell about the atmosphere in The Irish Open. It doesn't really get much better than that.

“Well, they are probably the most knowledgeable crowds there are, so doesn't really get any better than that.

“I didn't realise how many there were last year before I looked back on the 18th green. I think most of the people were hiding somewhere in the bushes before the last couple of holes because I really didn't notice them that much.

”But of course, I could hear them all the time. But for me looking back on that 18th fairway, I felt a little bit from the green like saying, thank you very much, thanks for coming.”

Much like Clarke and Harrington earlier in the day, Ilonen had particularly strong words of praise for the work World Number One Rory McIlroy put in to make this week’s event such a roaring success.

“It's great what Rory's done,” he said. “He has obviously had a huge impact on the field. He's got a couple of bigger names to come this year, and I think the Irish players are definitely the big factor to keep this tournament what it is now, because they all are big names.

“So they need to keep supporting this event as they have been in the past. It's the key for this tournament, and they are going to take the other names here, as well.

“We all love coming here. The crowds are the best. It doesn't get much better than this, what we are going to experience this week. So it doesn't need to be a $5 billion tournament. It just needs a good atmosphere, and everybody is going to enjoy the week.”

4/30/2015

McIlroy Proves Smooth Cadillac

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Rory McIlroy enjoyed comfortable victory on the opening day of the WGC-Cadillac Match Play, as a host of big names were grateful not to be making an early exit.

McIlroy saw off Jason Dufner 5 and 4, but defending champion Jason Day, Justin Rose, Ian Poulter, Henrik Stenson, Adam Scott and Graeme McDowell were all beaten at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco.

That would usually mean heading for the airport and a flight home, but the traditional straight knockout format has been replaced by a round-robin phase with the 64 players divided into 16 groups of four.

Former US Open champion Graeme McDowell lost on the 18th to Ireland's Shane Lowry, but Ryder Cup team-mate McIlroy only needed to be an approximate one under par in beating Dufner.

"I felt like tee to green I played pretty well," McIlroy said. "I didn't hole many putts and felt that the green speeds were pretty inconsistent, but did what I needed to do and we move on to tomorrow."

In the all-European Group 10, Sergio Garcia recovered from two down to beat Tommy Fleetwood by two holes, while Jamie Donaldson edged out Austria's Bernd Wiesberger on the 18th.

"He (Fleetwood) played well all day then hit a couple of iffy shots in the last five holes and I was able to take advantage," Garcia said.

Lee Westwood continued his good form after winning in Jakarta on Sunday, beating Matt Every on the 18th, while Danny Willett enjoyed a successful debut in the event with a 3 and 2 win over Ryan Moore.

In the same group, compatriot Andy Sullivan was left to rue several missed chances as he lost 2 and 1 to American Ryder Cup star Patrick Reed.

"I don't feel very hopeful right now but I have a shot, so I guess that's a good thing," Rose said after losing to Australia's Marc Leishman, just three days after winning the Zurich Classic in his first appearance since finishing second in the Masters.

Leishman, who did not play at Augusta National as his wife recovered from a life-threatening illness, won the opening hole with a birdie and was never behind in the match before sealing a 3 and 2 win.

Poulter also lost the opening hole to a birdie from former US Open Champion Webb Simpson, but ultimately paid the price for carding four bogeys in six holes from the third as Simpson gained a measure of revenge for losing to the Englishman in the 'Miracle at Medinah' in 2012.

"I've drawn him in the last two Ryder Cups and what a match player he is," Simpson said. "He is always tough and even being three or four up I knew I couldn't let up and I'm happy to get by for sure."

Stenson thought he had halved his match with John Senden when the Australian birdied the 18th, only to be told extra holes would be played to determine the result, with Senden securing victory with a birdie on the 19th.

Day lost 4 and 3 to American Charley Hoffman, while compatriot Scott beaten 5 and 4 by Italy's Francesco Molinari, the same scoreline by which Charl Schwartzel beat last year's runner-up Victor Dubuisson.

Two-time Masters Tournament champion Bubba Watson enjoyed a comfortable 5 and 4 win over Miguel Angel Jimenez, while Scotland's Stephen Gallacher lost 7 and 6 to former champion Hunter Mahan.

Gallacher's fellow Scot Marc Warren had more success, enjoying a 2 and 1 win over World Number 12 JB Holmes after seeing an early three-hole lead wiped out by the 15th.

"I kept telling myself a player of that calibre is going to come back at you and he did," Warren said. "It was just about whether I could counter him and I was really calm and composed."

Shot of the day had come from American Ben Martin, who fired a hole-in-one on the 17th to take the lead over Matt Kuchar before sealing victory on the last, while Jordan Spieth defeated Finland's Mikko Ilonen 4 and 2.

Lowry and McIlroy Progress

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Shane Lowry made a winning start to the WGC-Cadillac Match Play event in San Francisco last night with win against Graeme McDowell, while Rory McIIroy beat Jason Duffner.

Offaly man Lowry edged past McDowell winning by one hole in his opening group match.

World no.1 McIlroy, meanwhile, had a far easier time of it against former PGA champion Duffner as saw off the American 5&4 at Harding Park in San Francisco.

"I felt like tee to green I played pretty well," McIlroy told Sky Sports 4. "I didn't hole many putts and felt that the green speeds were pretty inconsistent, but did what I needed to do and we move on to tomorrow."

Masters champion Jordan Spieth defeated Finland's Mikko Ilonen 4&2 but defending champion Jason Day, Justin Rose, Ian Poulter, Henrik Stenson, and Adam Scott all suffered defeats.

Leishman, who did not play at Augusta National as his wife recovered from a life-threatening illness, won the opening hole with a birdie and was never behind in the match before sealing a 3&2 win.

Poulter also lost the opening hole to a birdie from former US Open champion Webb Simpson, but ultimately paid the price for carding four bogeys in six holes from the third as Simpson gained a measure of revenge for losing to the Englishman in the 'Miracle at Medinah' in 2012.

"I've drawn him in the last two Ryder Cups and what a match player he is," Simpson told Sky Sports 4. "He is always tough and even being three or four up I knew I couldn't let up and I'm happy to get by for sure."

Poulter later wrote on Twitter: "Truly disgusting putting today, it was actually farcical. Spent 3 hours on the putting green this afternoon. We will see if it helped."

Day lost 4&3 to American Charley Hoffman, while compatriot Scott declined to speak to reporters after being beaten 5&4 by Italy's Francesco Molinari, the same scoreline by which Charl Schwartzel beat last year's runner-up Victor Dubuisson.

In the all-European group 10, Sergio Garcia recovered from two down to beat Tommy Fleetwood by two holes, while Jamie Donaldson edged out Austria's Bernd Wiesberger on the 18th.

"He (Fleetwood) played well all day then hit a couple of iffy shots in the last five holes and I was able to take advantage," Garcia told Sky Sports 4.

Lee Westwood continued his good form after winning in Jakarta on Sunday, beating Matt Every on the 18th, while Danny Willett enjoyed a successful debut in the event with a 3&2 win over Ryan Moore.

In the same group, compatriot Andy Sullivan was left to rue several missed chances as he lost 2&1 to American Ryder Cup star Patrick Reed.

Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson enjoyed a comfortable 5&4 win over Miguel Angel Jimenez, while Scotland's Stephen Gallacher suffered the biggest defeat of the day, losing 7&6 to former champion Hunter Mahan.

Gallacher, who lost both his Ryder Cup matches at Gleneagles, was an approximate three over par and has now lost 11 of his last 12 singles contests in match play.

"It was a combo of me playing well and putting the pressure on him and he did not have his best stuff today," said Mahan, who beat McIlroy to win the title in 2012 and reached the final again the following year.

Gallacher's fellow Scot Marc Warren had more success, enjoying a 2&1 win over world number 12 JB Holmes after seeing an early three-hole lead wiped out by the 15th.

"I kept telling myself a player of that calibre is going to come back at you and he did," Warren said. "It was just about whether I could counter him and I was really calm and composed."

Shot of the day had come from American Ben Martin, who fired a hole-in-one on the 17th to take the lead over Matt Kuchar before sealing victory on the last.

4/17/2015

GMAC with Every Chance

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Graeme McDowell and America’s Matt Every shared the lead after the first round of the RBC Heritage at Hilton Head, with Jordan Spieth eight shots off the pace as he came back to earth following his Masters win.

In difficult conditions, with strong winds and a distinct chill in South Carolina, birdies were hard to come by but Every carded six before a bogey on the 18th, while McDowell matched him only in reverse after bogeying the first.

Given the way the course was playing, staying at the top of the leaderboard was as much about survival as anything.

“I was greasy today,” Every said on the PGA Tour website. “It wasn’t my best ball striking, it wasn’t easy out there, but I got the best out of it.

“It was blowing. Back in the trees, when it’s coming from the north and banking off the trees going the other way, it’s dicey, but for the most part I did a good job.”

Sang-moon Bae is alone in third place, one shot back, ahead of a five-way tie for fourth which includes Kevin Kisner, Scott Langley, Morgan Hoffman, Matt Kuchar and up and coming Australian Cameron Smith.

Smith could have been much better placed but for a bogey on the third and a double bogey on the seventh, where his tee shot put him in the trees and he faced a long road back. He had earlier carded five birdies in six holes between the second and seventh holes.

Kuchar’s round was highlighted by a 35ft putt for birdie on the par-five 15th, which was the only hole on which his playing partner Spieth enjoyed any luck.

Appearing tired after a whirlwind week of interviews and appearances which meant he did not have time for a practice round, Spieth three-putted the sixth to drop his first shot of the day and looked lethargic as he missed birdie opportunities on the ninth and 10th greens.

He dropped another shot on the 11th and on the par-three 14th he sent his tee shot straight into the water, setting up a double bogey that put him four over par.

He pulled one back with a birdie on the par-five 15th, but already appears set for a much-needed weekend off.

3/22/2015

McIlroy Slips as Stenson Charges

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Rory McIlroy’s bid to go into the Masters with a second victory of the season under his belt suffered a major blow after a poor finish to his third round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

In his last competitive outing before trying to complete the career grand slam at Augusta next month, McIlroy was within a shot of the lead when he carded his fourth birdie of the day on the 13th at Bay Hill.

However, the world number one then bogeyed the next three holes and had to settle for a round of 71 and nine under, seven shots behind Ryder Cup team-mate Henrik Stensonon 16 under.

McIlroy had birdied five holes in a row from the second during his second round – having started on the 10th – but could only pick up one shot over the same stretch on Saturday, missing from 11 feet for an eagle on the par-five sixth and having to settle for a birdie four.

The four-time Major winner chipped in from the back of the ninth green for his second birdie of the day and looked to be moving through the gears when he also picked up shots on the 12th and 13th.

But the 25-year-old then bogeyed the 14th after coming up short of the green with his tee shot and dropped another shot on the next, three-putting from 30 feet after an excellent escape from the trees to the right of the fairway.

McIlroy then duffed a chip from right of the 16th green and compounded the error with another three-putt, in stark contrast to Stenson who holed from 20 feet for eagle on the par five after previous birdies on the sixth, ninth and 15th.

“I’m frustrated. I birdied 12 and 13 and got right into the thick of things and then to give three shots back in quick succession was not really the plan,” said McIlroy.

“I’m disappointed with the way I finished but I played well for the most part. I need to try to get off to a good start tomorrow, shoot a good score and see where that leaves me.

“There’s a lot of quality players above me. I would need to get off to a very fast start (to win). 30 or 31 on the front nine it’s possible; just try to start better and go from there.”

Four birdies in five holes wasn’t enough to see Pádraig Harrington move into contention as the Honda Classic also had three bogeys in a one-under 71 that sees him go into the final round on six under.

8/09/2015

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