• Poulter edges out Beau Hossler in sudden-death play-off • ‘It’s going to take a little while to sink in. I’m super excited’

There must now be a clear and present danger of the Masters proving anticlimactic. Ian Poulter, a player utterly dejected when sharing 123rd place after the opening round of the Houston Open, a player wrongly informed he had qualified for the Masters before falling to a heavy defeat at the WGC Match Play and a player who needed to convert a birdie putt from 19ft to prolong that Augusta dream, is a winner once again. The circumstances of Poulter’s triumph belied sceptical theories about golf’s lack of appeal.

Poulter strode to victory in Houston, at the first play-off hole against the earlier inspired Beau Hossler, in a manner that summed up his ferociously competitive attitude. This marked his maiden strokeplay success on the PGA Tour. The additional prize is so crucial: Poulter will be afforded the 87th and final Masters spot.

“It is amazing, to get this done today to get me to Augusta is amazing,” Poulter said. “My first strokeplay win in the States, and to do it with the Masters on the line, is unbelievable. Last week [at the Match Play] was painful and to come here this week I was tired and frustrated.

“It’s going to take a little while to sink in. I’m super excited. It’s been a rollercoaster the last couple of years, to be honest. To be down where I was has been tough.”

Indeed, the 42-year-old had slipped outside the world’s top 200. Poulter had been one over par after 18 Houston holes and prepared to return home before taking to Augusta National in a broadcasting capacity. His leaderboard recovery from Friday was statistically the best on the PGA Tour in 35 years. He will likely now move into the world’s top 30, with a Ryder Cup appearance in France later this year suddenly highly likely.

On what became a remarkable Texas afternoon Poulter at one stage held a four-shot lead. His bogey at the 9th did not appear hugely significant but Hossler, chasing a first ever PGA Tour win, birdied four holes in a row from the 12th to edge a stroke in front. Poulter, in providing a moment so in tune with his iconic Ryder Cup outings, holed out for a closing birdie to force extra holes. He needed only one as Hossler found a greenside bunker and then water.

“I got the best of Ian Poulter today and he got the best of me,” said Hossler. “Unfortunately he came out on top this time but I feel good about my chances moving forward and I feel good that I can contend when it’s important.

“I said yesterday I wanted to beat these guys at their best and I think I saw Ian’s best today. It’s a bummer right now but I’m proud of the way I played.”