Ian Poulter defeated Beau Hossler in a playoff at the 2018 Houston Open to clinch a Masters invitation, with the LIV Golf star revealing he had accepted missing Augusta National just days before his dramatic victory
Ian Poulter clinched a Masters invite with his win at the Houston Open in 2018(Image: Getty Images)
With the Masters tournament approaching, there was a period when one of LIV Golf’s biggest names was competing for a spot just two weeks before the event.
Ian Poulter joined the exodus from the PGA Tour to LIV Golf in 2022, several years after earning a remarkable Masters invitation in 2018 by winning the Houston Open, beating Beau Hossler in a playoff to secure his shot at the Green Jacket.
The Masters has held its position as golf’s most prestigious championship for countless years, with every golfer dreaming of competing at Augusta National. Yet heading into the 2018 Houston Open, Poulter hadn’t secured his spot in the tournament. It comes as footage emerged of Rory McIlroy opening up on an interaction with Bryson DeChambeau at last year’s tournament.
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“No, it really didn’t,” Poulter responded after the final round in Texas, when asked if thoughts of the Masters motivated him during the back nine.
“I tried to be really focused today on, A, being extremely patient. I knew the guys from behind were going to come forward and they did. It was windy today but it wasn’t too windy, so I always knew guys were going to make putts, they were going to come forward. I had to be patient, so that was another key thing.”, reports the Mirror US.
Poulter also revealed there was a moment when he’d resigned himself to missing out on Augusta and the chance to compete for the Green Jacket, accepting it simply wasn’t going to happen that year.
The field for The Masters is almost fully confirmed(Image: Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
“Monday when I was at home,” Poulter identified as the day he made peace with skipping the major championship.
“I always need some time off. Last week was — you know, match play, you play a lot of golf in a short period of time and you’re under pressure a lot so it’s very draining. So yeah, I had all of Monday at home to reflect, think about it and sleep in.”
There are 26 ways to earn a spot at the Masters these days, and none of them come easy.
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These pathways include securing a PGA Tour victory within one year of the event, winning the Players Championship, claiming an Olympic Gold the summer before the tournament, and, of course, any previous Masters champion holds a lifetime exemption.
The Texas Children’s Houston Open is drawing a host of high-profile competitors this week, among them several players still seeking their Masters qualification.
For some, a strong showing at the top of the leaderboard could be their last shot at securing a coveted spot at Augusta.