Golf:In-form Graeme McDowell is in a better position going into this week's Race to Dubai final event than money-leading Martin Kaymer, according to Hong Kong Open champion Ian Poulter.
"There are a few permutations for both Martin and Graeme this week, but for Graeme, if he wins, he wins the Race to Dubai title," said Poulter, who lifted the top cheque of €301,447 in Hong Kong at the weekend and climbed three places to 11th in the latest world rankings.
"Martin's leading but then Graeme's in great form, as we have seen from him these past couple of weeks, and that sort of form is easy to continue.
"He won in Valderrama and was third in Singapore and now fifth behind me in Hong Kong, so you can see, Graeme's on a good roll."
Kaymer, instead took last week off after finishing tied 10th in Singapore, while he was well down in 21st the week before in Spain.
Poulter collected his 10th European Tour title and second this season after capturing the WGC-Accenture Matchplay Championship earlier this year.
Poulter and McDowell, along with joint Hong Kong Open runners-up Matteo Manassero of Italy and England's Simon Dyson, arrived in Dubai at 5.30am (1.30am Irish time) today after a direct flight from Hong Kong.
McDowell had boarded the flight ahead of this week's lucrative season-ending Dubai World Championship having cut Kaymer's lead by €76,689 in finishing fifth in Hong Kong.
It means the US Open champion is now €290,910 behind the US PGA winning Kaymer with €910,348 up for grabs – not to mention the bonus pool spoils - for the winner in Dubai. McDowell must finish no worse than third (€355,036) to have any chance of overtaking Kaymer.
There is a strong Irish contingent in Dubai this week as G-Mac is joined by Rory McIlroy – sixth in Hong Kong - Pádraig Harrington, Darren Clarke, Damien McGrane, Gareth Maybin and Peter Lawrie.
Clarke, 31st on the money list, will look to get inside the top 30 to guarantee his place in the British Open at Sandwich next year. A top 15 finish on the money list would secure his place at the next year’s US Open at the Congressional.
McDowell remains the highest ranked Irish player in the world at ninth with McIlroy in close pursuit, one place ahead of Poulter in 10th. Harrington is just outside the top 20 at 21st.
Manassero, meanwhile, is in pole position to claim the European Tour Rookie of the Year award. Poulter, who won the award in 2000 is tipping the 17-year-old to become the first Italian recipient since its inception in 1960.
"It's incredible what Matteo has managed to achieve this year... and, while he's not a certainty, you look at how Rory (McIlroy) burst on the scene, and Matteo's exactly the same," said Poulter. "He's won a first Tour event, finished just a shot behind me in Hong Kong, so the kid is seriously good."
Manassero became the youngest Tour event winner at last month's Sergio Garcia hosted Castello Masters.
Latest World Rankings:
1 Lee Westwood (Eng) 8.57
2 Tiger Woods (USA) 8.07
3 Martin Kaymer (Ger) 7.87
4 Phil Mickelson (USA) 7.47
5 Steve Stricker (USA) 6.81
6 Jim Furyk (USA) 6.77
7 Paul Casey (Eng) 6.05
8 Luke Donald (Eng) 5.83
9 Graeme McDowell (NIrl) 5.68
10 Rory McIlroy (NIrl) 5.57
11 Ian Poulter (Eng) 5.29
12 Matt Kuchar (USA) 5.17
13 Ernie Els (Rsa) 5.15
14 Dustin Johnson (USA) 4.91
15 Francesco Molinari (Ita) 4.53
16 Edoardo Molinari (Ita) 4.34
17 Hunter Mahan (USA) 4.26
18 Retief Goosen (Rsa) 4.21
19 Adam Scott (Aus) 3.93
20 Zach Johnson (USA) 3.92
21 Pádraig
Harrington (Irl) 3.90
22 Robert Allenby (Aus) 3.81
23 Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa) 3.80
24 Anthony Kim (USA) 3.69
25 Rickie Fowler (USA) 3.68