GOLF/Nordic Open: Ian Poulter emerged from his local hairdressing salon looking a bit like a bee with his outrageous black-and-white-striped cut - especially when he donned his designer shades.
Yesterday the 27-year-old, who paid A70 for his coiffure in Leighton Buzzard, stung like a bee to take the Nordic Open title from under Colin Montgomerie's nose.
Montgomerie, after following a 65 with a Saturday 64, looked odds-on to secure his first European Tour title for nine months and his 28th in total. But it was Poulter, after the fifth victory of his four-year Tour career, who last night flew out to the US PGA Championship at Oakhill, New York, wearing the biggest smile.
He shot 66 for a 22-under-par 266 to edge out the 40-year-old Scot by a stroke after the seven-time European number one was forced to settle for a par five at the last and a 68. Victory, worth €266,66, lifted the player from Milton Keynes into fifth place in the European money list with more than A1 million.
Also in the money was Dubliner Peter Lawrie, who earned €24,586 after his impressive final-round 65 brought him up to joint-13th place, on 15-under-par 273.
Damien McGrane signed off with a 68 for 285, while Graeme McDowell ended on 285, after a last round 71.
A crowd of more than 15,000 turned up in the hope of cheering local hero Soren Hansen to victory in this first Tour event on Danish soil but he ended in a tie for third on 268 after a 69 alongside the Scot Stephen Gallacher, who had two eagles in a homeward 30 for a 63, and Frenchman Gregory Havret with a 68.
Montgomerie chipped to five feet for a birdie four at the 17th and needed another at the last to force the ninth play-off of his career, seven of which, incidentally, he has lost, the other being declared a tie with Bernhard Langer in last year's Volvo Masters.
He watched Poulter open the door by fluffing a chance of a birdie at the 18th but then pushed his second high into the crowd and failed from 15 feet for his four.
Poulter, who followed victory in the Celtic Manor Wales Open in June with second place a week later in the British Masters, caught Montgomerie with an outward 32 and added three more birdies coming home, downing a 20-footer at the 15th.
It was another triumph for European golf's new breed and Poulter's brash approach to the royal and ancient game is refreshing.
Last year he sported a red-and-white hairdo in support of his football team, Arsenal, and he says: "I just think there are too many golfers who look the same week in, week out. It's nice to do something drastic to throw a bit of colour into the game and give everyone a laugh but I was pleased to let my golf speak for me here."
He heads off to the US in confident mood: "The rough will be thicker and the fairways tighter but if I keep hitting them and holing some putts I can do very well."
Guardian Service
