English golf has never had a day quite like the one that took place in the Arizona desert on Sunday - not in the long history of the United States tour, anyway.
Two Englishmen fighting it out to see who would be crowned winner of the Accenture Match Play Championship? Only six Englishmen had won in America since 1960, never mind this.
Brit of alright: Poulter lends Casey a helping hand
In the pink - literally, of course - was Ian Poulter, trying to make it a seventh. In black, Paul Casey, in the final for the second successive year and trying to add to his Houston Open win last year.
Finally, it was Poulter, who turned pro at 17 with a four handicap, who claims the singular honour of becoming the first Englishmen to win one of the three World Championship events that sit one rung below the majors and which began in 1999. He won the match by the margin of 4&2.
So a week that began with world No 4 Lee Westwood bemoaning the lack of credit given to his countrymen was ending with Poulter as world No 5 and Casey at No 6.
There"s no ignoring them now, is there? In these pages a month ago we were revealing that England had three of the planet"s top 10 for the first time in 100 years.
Every month, it seems, brings another landmark. They"re proud of what they"re doing for their country as well. Walking to the first tee alongside one another, a reporter jocularly asked whom he should root for. "Enger-land," was Poulter"s instant reply.
Poulter began with the considerable advantage of having been involved in a semi-final against Sergio Garcia on Saturday that was exactly half the length of the 24-hole marathon between Casey and Camilo Villegas.
Looking good: Ian Poulter on his way to a stunning 4&2 victory over Paul Casey in the final
Whoever thought they would see the day where Poulter would thrash a consummate ball striker like the Spaniard? That"s how far he has come and he loved the aftermath.
He amused his one million followers on Twitter as the other semi progressed. "Guys, I can"t wait. I"m now in the bath with the television up loud," he tweeted.
An hour later, and it was: "Lieing on the massage table having some treatment. Can"t believe they are still out there."
Perfect in pink! Poulter lifts the Accenture World Match Play trophy
The previous evening, Poulter had got back to his room to be met by a typically loud American party going on below. His request for a new room was granted but imagine what it was like when this highly superstitious individual discovered the room he had been given ended in the digits 13?
"I did think to myself whether I should go back and put up with the noise," he said. "But I managed to convince myself it was nonsense. I guess it worked out fine."
Casey and Villegas were out on the course so long that darkness fell before they finished. After a 12-hour working day, it was another 5am alarm call for a 7.10am start yesterday.
End of play: Poulter is congratulated by his countryman after winning in Arizona
Villegas began like a Sunday club golfer who"s cold because it"s early and snap hooks his opening drive. Casey, who lives two hours away in Phoenix, wasn"t about to let an opportunity like that pass him by.
So to the final itself, with the small matter of 350,000 resting on the outcome - 900,000 going to the winner and 550,000 to the runner-up.
Could Poulter build up another irresistible head of steam, as he did against Garcia? I t was certainly his morning.
Four-up with four to play of the first 18, it needed a gutsy finish by Casey simply to halve the deficit at lunch.
As you can imagine, watching two Englishmen on an untypically chilly morning was not high on the list of priorities of the locals, with just a few hundred accompanying them.
A few more turned up after the break to see Poulter open with successive birdies to be four up again. Back came Casey. He won two holes either side of the turn to be just two behind again.
With three to play, the pair had a better-ball score of 15 under, a commendable standard at the end of a long week they will not quickly forget.
Meanwhile, back on planet Tiger Woods, the latest intelligence from someone who should know is: "He might be back sooner than people think."
Don"t rule out the Masters yet, or the Arnold Palmer Invitational next month.
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