Ian Poulter is a professional golfer hailing from the Hertfordshire region of England. He competes in both the top two golf tours in the world, the PGA Tour that is based in the United States of America as well as the European Tour. The highest ranking that he has managed to achieve in the Official Golf World Rankings is number five. He is a member for the Bedfordshire based Woburn Golf and Country Club and is also their touring professional. Born on the 10th of January, 1976 Poulter first took up golf at the tender age of only 4 years when he was given a cut down 3-wood by his father, who was a single handicap. He also learned some of the tricks to playing golf from his brother Danny, who is also a professional golfer.
Poulter got a job as the assistant pro and golf shop manager at a professional golf club known as Chesfield Downs Golf Club after he was unable to get a membership at any professional, private golf club. Ian Poulter turned professional at the age of 19 years in 1996 and the first professional title that he won was the Open de Cote d’Ivoire in 1999. Although the event was a second tier event, a part of the Challenge Tour under the European Tour, it helped him win promotion to play in the European Tour. He won the Italian Open in his very first year on the European Tour and was also awarded the Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year Award for his scintillating displays that season. His biggest win in the period after the initial success was the win at the Volvo Masters, which is the last event in the calendar of the Tour. He finished in the Top 10 for the Order of Merit for four times in the decade in 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2009.
Ian Poulter missed out on playing for the Ryder Cup team in 2002 but he made the team in 2004 and scored the winning points that clinched the title for the European team. He has won 1 title on the PGA Tour, 11 on the European Tour, 1 each on the Japan Golf Tour, Asian Tour, and Challenge Tour and has also another professional title under his belt. Ian Poulter is a brilliant player on his day but he lacks the consistency that will make him one of the greatest golfers ever.