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European Tour

Eugene YS Han takes in the sights, sounds, sun and rain from the 46th edition of the Barclays Singapore Open 2009.

NICE

IAN POULTER
After opting out of last year's tournament because of a missing driver, Ian Poulter made sure he carried a few more drivers this time around. Now he'll have to find room in his luggage to store the huge Barclays Singapore Open trophy. At the Sentosa Golf Club, Poulter thrilled the galley with several eye-catching performances - in more ways than one. The fashionista's highlight of the tournament has to be clinching a birdie on the 13th hole on the last day - a shot that 'pumped him up' and send him on his way to his tenth career victory. Potent Poulter has promised to return next year to defend his trophy.

PHIL MICKELSON
Phil Mickelson lived up to his reputation of the people's golfer when he patiently signed autographs for every golf fan who asked for it at the end of his rounds. There were so many fans that security had to make sure the fence separating the world number two and the supporters did not collapse. Apparently, they were more worried about the fence than Lefty!

PADRAIG HARRINGTON
Three-time major winner Padraig Harrington was so impressed with the Serapong Course that he called the Barclays Singapore Open - 'Asia's Major'. The Irishman said: "This event has been referred to as Asia's Major, as the course and the tournament are set up like a Major. This is one of the best courses that we play all year. It is definitely set up tougher than a US Open course."

CHAN YIH-SHIN
Unknown Chan Yih-shin was a surprise name at the top of the leaderboard after he shot seven birdies in a bogey-free opening two rounds. He had only made it into this event through Monday's qualfiiers. In last year's tournament, the Taiwanese star also had to go through the qualifies and finished tied for 32nd.

CHAPCHAI NIRAT
Thailand's Chapchai Nirat fired the first hole-in-one in the tournament on his penultimate hole of the day to card a 67 to move to two under. It was the ninth hole-in-one on the Asian Tour and the 29th ace on the European Tour this season. Hopefully this will help to erase Chapchai's horror show last year when he finished seventh after he had led comfortably by two shots going into the final day.

ANNA IVANOVIC
The Serbian tennis star caused a mini-stir at the Sentosa Golf Club after her appearances alongside boyfriend Adam Scott on the greens.

NAUGHTY

THE WEATHER
On the opening day, play was suspended for three hours due to lightning and only resumed at 1715 HKT which meant 78 players didn't finish their first round. The next day, play was similarly suspended for two hours which meant round two went into the third day. Only 61 players completed round two. While on Saturday, play was again suspended, this time at 5.35pm, which meant for the third consecutive day, a full round could not be completed in a day. The organisers were finally given a break by Mother Nature when the weather cleared on Sunday to ensure all 72 holes were played in regulation time.

CHOPRA'S RUMBLE IN THE JUNGLE
Daniel Chopra had shot a six under-par 65 to claim the clubhouse lead on Day Two, but his form deserted him in the third round. His double-bogey at the 3rd hole on his third round a prime example, when, after his tee shot found the Sentosa jungle, it took him two shots to get the ball out of the thick vegetation and he carded six-over for the par four hole. Then on the 18^th, Chopra's shot towards the green got stuck on a palm tree and he ended up bogeying that hole. Those shots ultimately put paid to his chances of a good finish at the Barclays Singapore Open. The Swede eventually finished three-under 281 tied for 21.

STARS MISSING THE CUT
The cut was set at 143 and some famous names found themselves out of the last two rounds. Australia's Geoff Ogilvy, 2006 US Open winner, missed it by one shot. K.J Choi, who won last weekend's Johor Open on the Asian Tour, and Japan's Shigeki Maruyama, also missed the cut by one shot. 2005 US Open winner Michael Campbell also missed the cut. Although India had seven representatives in Singapore, five missed the cut - Shiv Kapur (two-over), SSP Chowasia (four), C Muniyappa (seven), Digvijay Singh (seven) and Gaurav Ghei (retired)    .

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