Poulter Pounces On Singapore Open Title

Singapore, 1 November, 2009 English golfer Ian Poulter was singing in the rain after triumphing at the weather-hit Barclays Singapore Open to clinch his first European Tour victory since 2006. The 33-year-old - who finished on 10-under par, one shot ahead of Chinas Lian Wen-Chong - said: I would like to thank everyone who has shown their support throughout the tournament. Its good to be back in the winners circle and I will be back to compete next year. And while Poulter and more than 150 professional golfers were battling it out for the US$5 million prize purse from October 29 to November 1, spectators and golfing enthusiasts were treated to a series of exciting Emirates initiatives during the tournament. Twenty young golfers from Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) and Methodists Girls School were treated to a master class from Hendrik Buhrmann at the Emirates Youth Golf Clinic on October 31. Besides giving the youngsters advice on how to improve their game, the South African star also shared his personal experiences of playing on the highly competitive circuit. In addition, Emirates VIP guests had the opportunity to play with the stars and also pick up some tips in the Pro-Am tournament on October 28. The Emirates flights were led by Lian Wen-Chong, the Singapore Masters 2007 champion; Johan Edfors who clinched top spot at the Black Mountain Masters in Thailand this year; and Alexander Noren, a rising star who recently won his first European Tour title at the Omega European Masters. Cheryl Yew was the amateur golfer who won the Nearest-to-the-Pin competition at the Pro-Am and was presented a Business Class ticket to Dubai courtesy of Emirates. The competition also raised funds for the Emirates Airline Foundation, a charity which supports disadvantaged children. This is first time Emirates has been the Official Airline of the Barclays Singapore Open and Nick Rees, Emirates Country Manager for Singapore and Brunei, was delighted with the part the airline played in a hugely successful event.