When claiming he could be a serious challenger to Tiger Woods a few years back, Ian Poulter found himself to be the object of derision - and not just for the colour of his strides.
This week, Poulter enjoyed his biggest ever win in golf - but to most onlookers, his story still took second place to Woods, a man who is enjoying greater media attention than ever since calling a temporary halt on his golfing career.
Nonetheless, if anyone was capable of turning matters away from largely uninformative press events and back to what happens on the golf course, it was Poulter. The Hitchen-born player turned up for the final day of the Arizona-based WGC Accenture Match Play Championship dressed head to foot in resplendent pink. It was as if to demonstrate that while the Poulter's game continues to improve, his grasp on fashion remains as rudimentary as ever.
No matter; the Englishman beat his compatriot Paul Casey 4 & 2 in Sunday's final over 36 holes, having easily dispatched Sergio Garcia 7 & 6 in the fifth round. Casey himself had undergone a trickier route to the final, duelling with Columbian Camilo Villegas over six extra holes as the pair finished the regular 18 all square - a score that only changed on the 24th hole when Villegas bogeyed.
During the final, Casey led once only, after the second hole, but by the 14th Poulter was 4up, and though Casey kept the lead down to 2up for five holes between the 28th and 32nd, Poulter always looked in command. When Casey bogeyed the 34th, the jig was up.
In finishing as runner-up for the second year in a row, Casey now holds the unwanted distinction of being the first player in the event's history to lose two consecutive finals. Poulter also came close to making a record, playing only 114 holes over the entire weekend - the only previous winner to have gone better with 112 was – inevitably - Tiger Woods, when he won in 2003.
"It's been a long time coming," Poulter said after finally seeing off Casey with a par on the 34th hole. "I knew I was in great form. I felt comfortable all day on the golf course."
"I've had an interesting ride from a lot of people's point of view of how I present myself on the golf course, as opposed to how well I can actually perform," Poulter added. "This to me is very pleasing to be able to be in that position now."
Casey paid tribute to his fellow countryman, admitting: "Poulter played great. There were a lot of shots which I wanted to pull off and I didn't. He did a fantastic job of making putts and keeping the ball in play, and he kept the pressure on. And I got beaten."
The victory means that Poulter is the first Englishman to win a World Golf Championship title, and the 34-year-old has also seen his world ranking increase to a career-best of No. 5 in the world.
Add to that the news that Poulter's first US tour victory means he also takes the lead in the Race to Dubai as well as trousering a first prize of almost £900,000 for the win, and the flamboyantly-garbed player won't be unduly disappointed even if it's Tiger who's still making all the headlines.
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