Getty Ian Poulter of England waves on the sixth green during the final round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on April 14, 2019 in Augusta, Georgia.
Ian Poulter is creeping towards the top of the leaderboard Sunday at the 2019 Masters. He notched a pair of 4-under par 68’s on days one and three to put himself on healthy ground, and two birdies on the front-9 Sunday has him just a few strokes behind Italy’s Francesco Molinari.
If the Stevenage, England native can pull through down the stretch, he will have a chance at his first-ever major championship. He’s come close before, earning a 2nd-place finish at the 2008 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale behind Ireland’s Padraig Harrington.
It was an exceptionally low-scoring affair, as Harrington won with just a 3-over par showing. Poulter utilized 3 birdies on the final 10 holes to finish 4 strokes behind that, finally coping with the gusting winds.
Here’s a look at Poulter’s other best finishes at major events:
Masters Tournament: Tied for 6th in 2015
U.S. Open: Tied for 12th in 2006
PGA Championship: Tied for 3rd in 2012
In order to take home the green jacket, Poulter needs to have a similar back-9 to the one he did at the 2008 Open Championship. He currently trails Molinari by 3 strokes through 9 holes, and will also be competing with a roaring and hungry Tiger Woods.
He has notched 8 birdies on the back-9 in the previous 3 rounds, including a 3 each on Thursday and Saturday. Even if he replicates those outings, he has to hope Molinari and Woods don’t climb any higher.
It’s a bit of a longshot for him to win, but the opportunity is there.
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Ian Poulter Wins: Does Golfer Have a Major Victory in Career?