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Patient Poulter Pulls Clear To Lead Dubai World Championship By Two
27 November 2010
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Dubai (UAE): England’s Ian Poulter goes into the final round of the Dubai World Championship presented by DP World with a two shot lead as The Race to Dubai enters the last lap.
And the World Number 11, who has won seven out of the eight times he has been out in front after round three, is confident he can make it European Tour win number eleven despite just four shots covering the top eight players
“I’m in the driving seat, I’m happy, I’m two shots ahead and it’s better than being behind so I’m confident,” said Poulter after a round of 69 (-3) moved him to twelve under par for the $7.5 million tournament, two shots ahead of Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee and Ryder Cup team mates Francesco Molinari and Ross Fisher.
“It’s a game of patience out there and if I don’t make any soft bogeys like I did today then I’ve got a great chance of winning this golf tournament. Winning here would move me up the world rankings so, yeah, it would be huge.”
Poulter, who went into the round tied for the lead with Fisher, had appeared immune to bogeys after going 56 holes without dropping a shot in Hong Kong last week. But after 40 bogey-free holes over the Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates, he dropped “silly bogeys” on the fifth and tenth.
Playing partner Fisher had a chance to close the gap at the top of the leaderboard but a bogey six on the last after finding the water with his second to the green cost him a chance of going into day four all square.
“I had a chance to go for it in two and unfortunately didn’t hit the right shots.” said Fisher. “Poults is playing good golf and dropped his first two shots of the whole week so that just shows how good he’s playing.”
“He’s going to be a tough man to beat and you’ve got Francesco (Molinari), who’s just come off the back of a great victory at HSBC, and Westwood obviously at World Number One. There are some good quality players there so I need to go out and play well. But if I can produce the form I showed yesterday, I feel I’ve got a good chance.
Molinari – who carded a 68 to move to joint second on ten under par – believes he needs “five birdies to win”, while Jaidee is happy with his game but needs to up it one more level if he is to win the $1.25 million first prize.
Defending champion Lee Westwood (71) and former European Number One Robert Karlsson (67) are tied three shots off the lead on nine under par, with Paul Casey (71) and Alvaro Quiros (69) in equal seventh on eight under.
European Number One elect Martin Kaymer is six shots off the lead on six under par thanks to a closing double bogey seven after sending his third shot into the water. And although his only Race to Dubai rival Graeme McDowell crept back to within four shots of the German, the US Open Champion believes the race is all but over.
“I think barring the impossible, European Number One is probably not a reality for me anymore,” said McDowell, who shot a three under par 69 to go to -2 for the tournament.
“This is a golf course that frustrated me last year and it’s continued to frustrate me a bit this year when I needed to play well. But that’s golf and tomorrow I’ll look back at what’s been the greatest season of my career so far.
“Martin’s going to win The Race to Dubai – he’s been one of the best players in the world this year and certainly deserves everything he’s achieved. If Lee Westwood had been fit all season, he’d have given him a great run for his money but Martin certainly deserves to win.”
Kaymer may yet also win the Dubai World Championship but he’ll need to produce something special to overcome a laid back Poulter who spent the eve of the tournament doing nothing except lounging by his hotel swimming pool.
“I feel you need to do that especially when you’re going to be playing a number of weeks on the road,” he said. “With all of the miles you’re flying, it’s key to staying fresh and performing.”
–End–
The attached images may be used in association with this release only, and credited with the copyright symbol and the name of Getty Images (©Getty Images).
Pictures show Ian Poulter in action during the third round of the Dubai World Championship presented by DP World
