Ian Poulter wins UBS Hong Kong Open

England’s Ian Poulter has won the UBS Hong Kong Open at Fanling by a single shot from his countryman Simon Dyson and Italian sensation Matteo Manassero. It was Poulter’s 10th European Tour victory.

Ian Poulter

England's Ian Poulter has won the UBS Hong Kong Open at Fanling by a single shot from his countryman Simon Dyson and Italian sensation Matteo Manassero. It was Poulter's 10th European Tour victory.

The 34-year-old claimed the lead in the tournament with a scintillating second round of 60 and he maintained his position at the top of the leaderboard to the finish.

Poulter took a two-stroke lead into the final round with Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell in second place. Three birdies on the front nine helped the Englishman keep his nose in front, then a spectacular eagle at the par-5 13th all but secured his victory.

"It feels more than good," said Poulter. "It was nice, I felt calm all day. I felt as if I just kept going around my business, I thought if I made a few birdie putts that would be enough to win - it's very pleasing to do so."

With a final round of 62, Italian teenager Matteo Manassero catapulted himself into a share of second with Simon Dyson. The Englishman came out firing on Sunday with a front nine of 30. But the birdies dried up on the run for home and he came up just one stroke shy.

"I'm disappointed," he said. "I played great today, I just didn't hole a thing on the back nine. It was still a great week though."

With the win, Poulter has climbed to fifth on the Race to Dubai and has moved into the top-10 on the Official World Golf Ranking.

Graeme McDowell ended the week in fifth spot and picked up a cheque for €76,689. It means he's reduced Martin Kaymer's lead at the top of the Race to Dubai standings to just €290,000.

UBS Hong Kong Open Hong Kong GC, Hong Kong Nov 18-21, purse €1,800,000, par 70

1   Ian Poulter (Eng)      67   60   64   67   258   €301,447 T2   Simon Dyson (Eng)   64   65   65   65   259   €157,094    T2   Matteo Manassero (Ita)   67   63   67   62   259   €157,094 4   Anthony Kang (USA)   67   61   67   65   260   €90,436 5   Graeme McDowell (NIR) 65   65   63   68   261   €76,689 6   Rory McIlroy (NIR)   63   66   66   67   262   €63,305 T7   Jamie Donaldson (Wal)   66   66   65   66   263   €46,665 T7   Gareth Maybin (NIR)   67   67   68   61   263   €43,665 T7   Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind)   63   67   66   67   263   €43,665

Note: Player in bold signifies Titleist ball usage only

Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly. 

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?