Sweden’s Robert Karlsson won the Dubai World Championship yesterday, beating third-round leader Ian Poulter in a two-way playoff after a bizarre blunder by the Englishman on the final hole.
Karlsson calmly rolled in a birdie putt on the second playoff hole after Poulter had been given a one-stroke penalty for dropping his ball on his marker on the green, causing it to flip over and move from its original position.
Poulter spotted his error and reported it to the match referee, whose ruling left him with a long putt for par instead of a birdie.
PHOTO: EPA
The putt came up a foot short, taking all the pressure off the Swede as he then had two shots to clinch victory in the season-ending tournament.
He needed just one putt to secure his second European Tour victory this year.
It was his third straight birdie on the 18th green, having caught up to Poulter on his last hole in regulation when his approach shot landed within a few feet of the pin. He rolled that in to close with a five-under 67 and a 14-under total of 274.
PHOTO: AFP/ASIAN TOUR
Poulter then had a birdie putt for the victory at the 18th, but missed to force the playoff, where both players birdied the first hole.
Earlier, PGA champion Martin Kaymer won the European Tour money title after his only challenger Graeme McDowell came up short.
Kaymer and McDowell both finished in a tie for 13th with six-under totals of 282.
The Northern Irishman needed to place in the top three to have a chance to overtake the German, but his four-under 68 was never going to be enough and Kaymer (72) clinched the title while still on the course.
“It’s been a fantastic year,” Kaymer said. “All of the goals that I set for myself, for my career, everything happened this year.”
KING’S CUP
AFP, KHON KAEN, THAILAND
Thailand’s Udorn Duangdecha sparked a superb final-day charge to win his maiden Asian Tour title at the King’s Cup yesterday.
Udorn, who entered the final round five strokes off the lead, fired a sparkling six-under 66 for a four-day total of 12-under 276 for a two-stroke victory at the Singha Park Khon Kaen Golf Club.
South Africa’s Jbe Kruger settled for his third runner-up finish this season after narrowly missing a 50-foot eagle chance on the 18th hole. He signed off with a 73 for a 278 total to take a share of second place with Thailand’s Pariya Junhasavasdikul and South Korea’s Mo Joong-kyung.
Joint overnight leader Prom Meesawat of Thailand slipped to tied fifth place following a 74, with countryman Kwanchai Tannin on a 279 total.
Australian Tony Carolan (74) and Thai duo Thaworn Wiratchant (71) and Piya Swangarunporn (66) were a stroke back on 280 in tied seventh place.
“It is such an honor to win this tournament for the king. I really put in all my effort today to win the King’s Cup and I’m glad it all worked out in my favor,” the 40-year-old said. “I want to dedicate this victory to my king.”
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