Ian Poulter who began his career as a young PGA assistant pro back in the 1990s, received a PGA Recognition Award today for his outstanding contribution to the game at the annual PGA lunch at Grosvenor House.
Ian Poulter who began his career as a young PGA assistant pro back in the 1990s, received a PGA Recognition Award today for his outstanding contribution to the game at the annual PGA lunch at Grosvenor House.
The 40-year-old Ryder Cup hero follows in the footsteps of several golfing legends to have won the award including Seve Ballesteros, Sir Nick Faldo and Colin Montgomerie.
Among the 1,050 guests at the London lunch was Lee Scarbrow the PGA pro who gave a young Poulter his first start as an assistant.
Poulter singled Scarbrow out for special mention along with Dan Field who he did his PGA training with.
''Lee was my boss at Leighton Buzzard, if it wasn¹t for him I probably wouldn't be where I am today so it is amazing to think I worked for such a good guy who saw potential in me as a player although probably not as the assistant opening the shop on time otherwise I would have been fired a long time ago,'' said Poulter.
''To think back to the PGA days, to come through it as a fully qualified PGA Member, to use that as a stepping stone to where I have managed to get to in the world of golf is incredible so I'm hugely honoured to be given the award. It is amazing.''
Poulter shared a wealth of stories with the audience during a Q&A with Dougie Donnelly including tales of his early years as a PGA assistant to his Ryder Cup heroics notably his heroics in the Miracle at Medinha.
With charity very much at the heart of the annual lunch, Poulter also donated his fee - a £25,000 cheque - to Dreamflight charity and its founder Patricia Pearce. The charity helps underprivileged children while the PGA underlined its support of grass roots golf with a presentation of £50,000 to the Golf Foundation.
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