Poulter The Prohibitive Favourite With 18 Holes Left in 2010

Ian Poulter finally made a bogie, actually two, at the Dubai World Championships presented by DP World, but his lead grew as just 18 holes remain in the 2010 season.

Last week’s winner in Hong Kong bogeyed the 5th and the 10th, but still managed a 69 and now holds a two shot lead over Francesco Molinari, Thongchai Jaidee and Ross Fisher.

Poulter’s  been on fire this week and has been throwing darts all over the course having missed just 9 greens during the first 54 holes.  If the Englishman keeps this up, he’ll almost certainly end the year on two tournament winning streak.

It appears the bookmakers surely don’t expect him to slow down as Poulter heads out on Sunday at (11-8),

Poulter’s countryman Ross Fisher is second on the betting board.  Despite not having a top-10 in over two months, the bookies like Fisher enough to put him at (5-1).

Fisher has won this year with a two-shot victory over Padraig Harrington at the Irish Open.  He beat the likes of Harrington, Rory Mcilroy and Graeme McDowell at the Irish, so the star rich field the Jumeirah Golf Estates shouldn’t put him off his game.

Francesco Molinari is joined by world #1 Lee Westwood at (6-1).  Molinari recently took down a star studded field at the HSBC Masters and followed that up with a 21st at the Singapore Open.  He’s averaged 29 putts per round this week so the Italian will need to iron out the hiccups in his flat stick if he’s going to have any real chance of challenging Poulter.

Westwood, meanwhile, sits three off the lead at (-9).  He hasn’t the won this year on the European Tour (and just once worldwide), but he is ranked #1 in the world.  Westwood really is the conundrum of the tournament. 

The third man in second place, Thongchai Jaidee, has been a solid player for long while, but he hasn’t come close to winning this year and has just one top-10 since April.  The books are obviously keen to this knowledge and will have him go off at (10-1).

Finally, if a long shot is in the cards, it may be Louis Oosthuizen.  He’s five back of Poulter and has been hitting it pretty well, but his putter has been letting him down.  The British Open champ will need a quick start to contend in this one, as things get treacherous on the back nine.

We learn so many things from golf- how to suffer, for instance  - Bruce Lansky