Poulter forgets Oosthuizen's Masters nightmare

Ian Poulter was so impressed with Louis Oosthuizen's battling qualities at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play that he mistakenly awarded the South African a Masters green jacket.

Poulter and Oosthuizen were drawn together in the last-16 in Texas on Saturday and battled right to the 17th hole to decide who would progress to the quarter finals.

It was Poulter who prevailed – winning 2 and 1 – but he had led by four shots with five to play after a scintillating round that almost saw a hole-in-one at the 11th.

Oosthuizen was not going out without a fight, though, and recorded birdies at 14 and 16 to take the match to the wire.

Poulter was able to hold on as both men parred the penultimate hole, and he cut a relieved figure ahead of his last eight match with Kevin Kisner, which he went on to lose 8 and 6.

But his victory appeared to affect his memory, Poulter praising Oosthuizen for being a Masters winner – a tournament he never won.

"You're going to be tough to beat if you make eight birdies, and I knew I needed that against Louis," said the Englishman.

"I knew Louis wasn't going to back off, that's why he's got a green jacket in his closet."

Oosthuizen – who's only major is the 2010 Open – nearly won the Masters in 2012, but lost out to Bubba Watson in a play-off at Augusta.