Ian Poulter is praying for one more match-play miracle to qualify for his 17th Masters next month… with the Englishman needing to jump 17 place in the world rankings!
- Ian Poulter has work to do to ensure he qualifies for his 17th Masters next month
- Poulter is 65th in the world rankings, and needs to climb back into the top fifty
- He will need to make that jump by the end of the World Match Play on March 27
Ian Poulter will need to call on all his renowned skills in escapology if he is to make it to this year’s Masters.
As the golf world digested the news of Phil Mickelson’s absence from Augusta for the first time since 1994, the Englishman is in a bleak-looking fight to make it via the WGC-Match Play Championship, which begins on Wednesday in Texas.
Poulter will likely need a semi-final berth at least to progress from 67th into the world’s top 50 when the cut-off point to trigger a Masters invite falls on Monday — and the odds on that happening have lengthened considerably given he is in arguably the toughest of the 16 four-man groups.
Englishman Ian Poulter (above) has work to do if he is to make it to this year’s Masters
With only one player from each group progressing to the weekend knockout stages, Poulter has to get past American Scottie Scheffler, twice a winner this year, and two of his Ryder Cup comrades in Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick.
One thing in Poulter’s favour, of course, is the format. There might never have been a golfer so much better at one form of the game than another. Now 46, can ‘Mr Match Play’ go to the well one more time?
It certainly promises to be an intriguing event, even with absentees such as Rory McIlroy, who has decided to complete his Masters preparations at the Valero Texas Open next week.
Poulter is 65th in the world rankings, and needs to climb back into the top fifty to make it
Should Poulter make the jump by March 27, he will qualify for his 17th Masters (above)
Justin Rose will seek to make it from a quartet of three fellow major champions in Jordan Spieth, Keegan Bradley and his long-time friendly rival, Adam Scott.
There is no doubt who will be attracting the most attention, however, as Bryson DeChambeau plays for the first time in six weeks after a hand injury.
His opponent on Wednesday, in a group that also includes Lee Westwood, is debutant Richard Bland.
l WGC-Dell Match Play, LIVE on Sky Sports from 2.15pm.
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