Ian Poulter

Ian James Poulter (born 10 January 1976) is an English professional golfer currently competing in the LIV Golf League. He once reached world number five. His career highlights include winning the 2010 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship and the 2012 WGC-HSBC Champions, plus being part of five victorious European Ryder Cup teams. He serves as the touring professional for Woburn Golf and Country Club.

Poulter was born in Hitchin and grew up in Stevenage. He started golf at age four when his father, a single-handicap player, gave him a shortened 3-wood. His older brother Danny also became a professional golfer. Unable to secure a pro spot at a private club, Poulter worked as an assistant pro and shop manager at Chesfield Downs Golf Club, where his boss made him pay full green fees to compete—keeping his handicap at four. He later became an assistant pro at Leighton Buzzard, giving lessons to children for £1 each. He is a devoted Arsenal fan.

Turning professional in 1996, Poulter won his first title at the 1999 Open de Côte d'Ivoire on the Challenge Tour. He earned his European Tour card through qualifying school that year. In his debut season, he won the Italian Open and was named Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year for 2000. He won at least one tournament each of the next four seasons, including the Volvo Masters in 2004. He finished in the top ten on the Order of Merit in 2003, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2010, and 2012, with his best finish being second in 2013. After narrowly missing the 2002 European Ryder Cup team, he made the 2004 squad and officially scored the winning points.

At the 2008 Masters, Poulter made a hole-in-one on the 16th hole in the first round. At the 2008 Open Championship, he held the clubhouse lead in the final round before being overtaken by defending champion Pádraig Harrington. In the 2008 Ryder Cup, he scored four points—the most of any player—though Europe lost 16.5–11.5. He finished second at the 2009 Players Championship, four shots behind Henrik Stenson. In November 2009, he won the Barclays Singapore Open. A second-place finish at the 2010 Abu Dhabi Golf Championship pushed him into the world top ten.

In February 2010, Poulter won his first tournament on U.S. soil, defeating fellow Englishman Paul Casey 4&2 in the final of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona. That victory lifted him to world number five. He earned a spot on the 2010 European Ryder Cup team, winning three points in four matches as Europe triumphed 14.5–13.5. He then won the UBS Hong Kong Open in November 2010.

In 2011, Poulter became the first defending champion in nine years to lose in the first round of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship. He rebounded by winning the Volvo World Match Play Championship, beating Ryder Cup teammate Luke Donald 2&1 in the final, after defeating world number one Lee Westwood, Francesco Molinari, and Nicolas Colsaerts. This was his second match play title and 11th European Tour win. Selected as a captain's pick for the 2012 Ryder Cup, he won all four of his matches as Europe won 14.5–13.5.

On 4 November 2012, Poulter won his second World Golf Championship at the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shenzhen, China. Trailing by four strokes entering the final round, he shot a 65 with eight birdies in his first 15 holes to win by two. He became only the second European to win multiple WGC events, after Darren Clarke. The win moved him to 15th in the world rankings.

At the 2015 Honda Classic, Poulter held a three-shot lead entering the final round but shot a 74, finding water five times—including twice on the 14th hole for a triple bogey—and finished tied for third, one shot out of a playoff won by Pádraig Harrington. That year, he fell to 51st in the world rankings, lost his exemption for the WGC-HSBC Champions, and risked losing his European Tour card after playing only 12 events. He gained entry to the Hong Kong Open only after Rich Beem gave up his sponsor exemption.

In March 2016, Poulter held a one-stroke lead after 54 holes at the Puerto Rico Open but shot an even-par round with just one birdie, finishing tied for third, one stroke outside a playoff.