World Golf News - 30 November 2010

Last weekend marked the grand finale of the 2010 European PGA Tour, the Dubai World Championship. With an exciting season that saw the rise of several young stars behind them, the European PGA Tour players took the opportunity to shine at this prestigious season-ender played in fine weather.

Treating fans to an exciting display of golfing talent early in the tournament, two players dominated the championship and ended up entering a playoff for the trophy – Ian Poulter of the UK and Sweden’s Robert Karlsson.

Poulter was fresh from his win the previous week in Hong Kong, while Karlsson had been resting up in preparation for Dubai. Ironically, Poulter’s only comment on the tournament prior to its commencement was a prediction that compatriot Graeme McDowell would fare well – in the event he surpassed his favourite with a slurry of birdies that had the crowd on fire.

Karlsson followed suit, keeping the Briton on his toes and forcing a playoff in an unusual set of circumstances. Following Poulter’s penalisation at the third playoff hole when he dropped his ball on his marker, Karlsson seized the opportunity to make birdie while Poulter missed his putt to concede the trophy.

The Dubai World Championship was also a day of victory for Germany’s Martin Kaymer as he won the top spot on the European money list for 2010. Claiming a prize of $1.5 Million, the young German accepted his title with the understated class golf fans have come to admire him for, especially given his age. The talented young golfer is, however, anything but un-ambitious. Speaking to journalists after the prize giving, he reflected on his successful season on the European Tour, and reiterated his goal of becoming world number one – a title now seemingly in reach for many talented players with the lacklustre performance of Tiger Woods.