With a 2018 Masters bid and his first victory since 2012 about to slip out of his grasp, Ian Poulter had one final opportunity to keep himself alive: a 20-foot putt on the 72nd hole of the 2018 Houston Open. And in true Poulter fashion, he drained it with gusto and a Ryder Cup-level celebration that pulled him even at 19 under with 23-year-old American Beau Hossler and forced a sudden death playoff.
It did not take long for Poulter to capitalize with the veteran swiping a victory on the first playoff hole. Just as he did on the 72nd hole, Hossler hit his first shot into a bunker on 18; however, this time he was unable to save it, immediately finding a second bunker and hitting his third shot over the hole and into the water. Poulter calmly made the green in two and two-putted his way to a victorious par, becoming the fifth player in his 40s to win this season alone.
The victory was Poulter's first since the 2012 WGC HSBC Champions, and it clinched a Masters bid he thought he had already earned. After making it to the quarterfinals of the WGC Match Play a week ago, Poulter was told by media members that making it so far in the event guaranteed him enough rankings points to make the Masters. That turned out to be untrue, and after being informed by officials before his quarterfinal match that he needed to make the semifinals in order to qualify, Poulter was clearly taken out of the game mentally, losing 8 and 6 to Kevin Kisner.
Poulter's underwhelming play continued into the first round of the Houston Open when he shot a 73 that made it look like he would flirt with the cut line as opposed to the top of the leaderboard. However, he instantly rebounded with a 64 on Friday and shot a 132 on the weekend to finish 19 under in regulation.
"Last week was painful," Poutler told NBC after the round. "To come into this week, I was tired, I was frustrated on Thursday. I didn't play my best stuff. I had packed my bags, honestly, to leave on Friday. A mental switch ... just go play golf, see what happens. ... I was patient. I waited my time. This is amazing. I haven't won a stroke play event in the [United] States, so to do it this week after the disappointment of last week, to know I'm going to Augusta [National], to do it in true fashion is amazing."
His turnaround was so impressive, in fact, that Poulter became the first golfer in 35 years to start T123 or worse after the first round of a PGA Tour event and go on to claim victory. He did so by winning the first playoff in which he ever participated on the PGA Tour. The victory was his first in a stroke play event and second ever on U.S. soil.
Hossler went under 70 in all four rounds, missing out on his first PGA Tour win by centimeters as he saw his birdie putt on the 72nd hole barely miss the cup. His unraveling on the first playoff hole prevented him from becoming the youngest victor on the tour this season.
In addition to Poulter coming through at the right time, Jordan Spieth (-16) bounced back from some uneven play this season to finish third after shooting a 66 on Sunday, the low round of the day.
Poulter did not play at Augusta National last year for the first time since 2006. He has made the cut in all 11-of-12 appearances, finishing T6 in 2015. As he is now set to enter the top 30 in the Official World Golf Rankings, Poulter will likely be eligible to compete in the rest of the season's majors. The victory also netted him a two-year PGA Tour exemption just a year after he nearly lost his tour card.