Poulter eyes dream season finish at DP World C’ship

As another year draws to a close, Ian Poulter arrives back at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship targeting a first win since the 2017 Houston Open as he looks to build on his two runner-up finishes at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

The Ryder Cup star has fond memories of the European Tour’s finale and has only missed one edition of the World Tour Championship since its inception, when he was injured in 2016, while his two runner-up finishes came in 2010 and 2013.

“I’ve played very nicely here in the past and, obviously, the whole region and golf has grown enormously over the last ten years, even from the point when I first started playing here around 20 years ago,” said Poulter, who became a Global Ambassador for DP World in May this year.

“For me, this has always been a great event and it’s meant that little bit more from a personal perspective as I’ve had the pleasure of family and friends coming out to follow me every year – just to watch me play. It’s a big finale to the year for me at a tournament where I’ve been successful, and one I like to play. It means a lot. It’s a special week. Hopefully, I can play well and hopefully, get my hands on the title.”

Aside from strong performances at the DP World Tour Championship, the Englishman enjoyed a good start to his season on the Middle East Swing earlier this year as he posted top tens at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship presented by EGA, the Omega Dubai Desert Classic and the Saudi International powered by SBIA.

“It would mean a lot to win here,” he said. “I started this season well and I’ve played consistently through the year. I had a bit of a break last month so if I can come out of that playing well and have a strong end to the year it would be fantastic. Nothing would please me more than doing it at the DP World Tour Championship.”

Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy got the perfect preparation for the tournament as he led his DP World team to victory in the morning Rolex Pro-Am over the Earth course. McIlroy, Ashish Bhutani, Hardeep Singh and Avinash Pangarkar posted an impressive team total of 31 under par to secure victory.

McIlroy, a three-time winner of the Race to Dubai, says he is fine with the fact that he cannot become the European Tour’s number one for a fourth time this week at the DP World Tour Championship.

The Northern Irishman, who created a stir with his decision not to take up European Tour membership late in the season, has made enough points to climb to sixth in the Race to Dubai standings going into the final week.

However, even if McIlroy wins the season-ending championship and secures the winner’s cheque of $3 million on Sunday, he won’t garner enough points to surpass current leader Bernd Wiesberger.

Only the next four players -- England’s Tommy Fleetwood, Spaniard Jon Rahm, British Open champion Shane Lowry and Matthew Fitzpatrick -- have a mathematical chance of usurping Wiesberger.

Asked if he felt any frustration at not having a chance to add to his crowns in 2012, 2014 and 2015, the 30-year-old McIlroy said: “No. I’ve already won it three times.

“It’s a wonderful feeling to be able to do it, but I just haven’t played enough counting European Tour events to have a chance, so no.

“I haven’t played enough, and you look at someone like a Bernd Wiesberger who has played 28 times. You know, those are the guys that deserve to be up there with a chance to win.”

McIlroy, Player of the Year on the PGA Tour this year and coming off a win at the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai, will be without his best friend and caddie Harry Diamond on the bag this week.

Diamond is taking the week off to be with his new-born child and his place has been taken by another close friend, former Ireland A rugby fly-half Niall O’Connor.

The switch before an important tournament does not bother McIlroy, who has a superb record at the Earth Course of Jumeirah Golf Estates.