Ian Poulter captured last year’s Volvo World Match Play Championship after defeating Luke Donald in the final. Here, in an excerpt from The European Tour Yearbook 2012, we recap how the Englishman claimed his 11th European Tour title in Madeira.
He delighted one Luke while disappointing another, but when the dust had settled at Finca Cortesin there was one man left with the biggest smile of them all: Ian Poulter.
In the first all English final of the Volvo World Match Play Championship since the illustrious competition began at Wentworth Club back in 1964, Poulter saw off compatriot Luke Donald 2 and 1 in the 18 hole showdown; in the process denying Donald the opportunity to oust Lee Westwood from the Number One position on the Official World Golf Ranking.
One Luke disappointed certainly but another, in the shape of Poulter’s son Luke, was more than ecstatic as his daddy lifted the €800,000 first prize on the day of his seventh birthday.
Given the fact the finalist were joint top points scorers for Europe in last year’s Ryder Cup and were also the last two winners of the WGC-Accenture Match Play title, their appearance in the final should not have come as a surprise.
Having come through the group stages, Poulter then ousted his Ryder Cup team-mates Francesco Molinari and Westwood along with rising Belgian star Nicolas Colsaerts in the semi-final while Donald disposed of Johan Edfors as well as Major champions Charl Schwartzel and Martin Kaymer.
Donald held sway early on in the final but a 40 foot putt on the 12th saw Poulter level. He moved ahead two holes later and never looked back, capturing the title on his first appearance.
To order your copy of The European Tour Yearbook 2012, a 240-page, full colour hardback Official Publication with iconic pictures by Getty Images and essays from some of the game's top writers that takes you every step of the way through 52 tournaments and 29 destinations on The 2011 Race to Dubai, click here.
