Jeev Milkha Singh's dream run in the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship finally came to an end with a defeat against Englishman Ian Poulter at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Tucson.
Jeev, who had upstaged three-time Major winner Padraig Harrington and American Matt Kuchar in his previous two rounds, could not pose much of a threat to Poulter who tamed the Indian 5&4 to sail into the quarterfinals of the $8.5 million event.
Poulter was quickly off the bloc as he birdied the opening hole to go one up. A 15-foot birdie putt on the fifth put Poulter two up. To make it worse, Jeev bogeyed the next hole when his tee shot found the rough. Poulter bogeyed the seventh but Jeev dropped a shot on the next hole as the gap remained unbridged.
A subdued Jeev bogeyed the 10th as well while Poulter birdied the 11th and there was no way the Indian could make a comeback.
Despite his thumping win, Poulter said he was wary of Jeev and was happy to have worsted the Indian.
"Jeev is a tough player. He has got a good short game. He putts very well and I knew it was not going to be easy against him," said Poulter.
"But I kept hitting good shots into the green and never really gave Jeev much chance to get his birdies. He missed a few makeable chances out there and I just kept my foot down and played good golf," said the 34-year-old tight-time European Tour winner.
Despite the loss, this was Jeev's best show in the elite tournament, having cashed out with first round defeats in his previous two appearances.
