The Grove, Watford, England …
Ian Poulter has apologised to his many, many fans for turning down competing in this week’s British Masters and instead contest the Asian Tour’s Macau Open.
The Englishman returned from a near five-month foot injury absence to shoot an opening round of 64 on Thursday but struggled on day two to sign for a score of 73 and fall back into a share of 11th place but only three strokes from the lead.
Poulter had last played in missing the cut in May’s PGA Tour stop at Fort Worth in Texas before European Ryder Cup captain, Darren Clarke realising the worth of Poulter, appointed him as a Hazeltine vice-captain.
Ian Poulter apologises to his many British Masters fans.
But instead of returning to the European Tour, as many would have expected to tee-up this week to the north of London and in an event Poulter hosted last year at nearby Woburn, the 40-year old joined Clarke competing in Macau.
With Poulter to make his 2016/17 PGA season debut in next week’s CIMB Classic in Malaysia, the 16-time Tour winner felt it more appropriate he ‘acclimatise’ for the Malaysian event by competing in Macau.
As well, Poulter indicated he needs to play in Malaysia given the PGA Tour afforded him a 10-event ‘Major Medical Extension’ to earn 218 FedEx Cup points or $US 347,634 in that period to remain exempt for the remainder of the 2016/16 season.
“I am sorry to miss the British Masters, and I know everyone is disappointed, but there is a simple reason for that as I only have a very limited amount of tournaments to regain m y PGA Tour status in coming back from the medical exemption,” he said.
“I only have 10 events and that first event is next week in Malaysia, and I really wanted to be on a similar time zone so that I could play that event and be as fresh as possible.
“I know it’s disappointing as I would love to be there at the British Masters as hosting it last year at Woburn was a huge thrill and a huge honour.
“But it’s just a time zone thing and that I do need to be fresh for Malaysia.”
After recording seven birdies on day one to share the lead in Macau, Poulter’s second day effort was a mix of three birdies and just as many bogeys but also a double bogey.
