POULTER PUTTING IN THE HARD GRAFT
Englishman takes early lead but is not resting on laurels
IAN POULTER shot a bogeyfree 64 to take the clubhouse lead – and then headed straight to the range to work on his leaky swing.
The Ryder Cup star carded seven birdies – including stroking a five iron to four feet at the last – to finish eight shots clear of struggling Rory McIlroy.
But world No60 Poulter, who said he played only “three or four rounds” during three months of lockdown, insisted he had room for improvement at tight Hilton Head.
“I feel that I didn’t hit it that well off the tee today so I need to go straight to the range and address a few leaky right tee shots,” he said.
“My iron play was pretty solid. I holed out really well from kind of inside seven feet, and good to obviously finish with two birdies on the last two holes.
“It’s very important being bogey-free. Any time that happens, you’ve played pretty well. It’s a great course. It’s a fiddly, testy, tricky course. I like the small greens. I’ve always loved coming here.”
McIlroy caused controversy before the second event back on the PGA Tour by claiming European-based players such as Lee Westwood and Tommy Fleetwood were wrong to stay away because of quarantine rules. “If you really care about your career and care about moving forward, you should be here,” said the Florida-based Ulsterman.
Ranking points are being awarded despite the European Tour not re-starting till next month. “It’s difficult,” said Poulter, who was tied with Mark Hubbard. “You’ve got 16 of the top 20 players here this week. “It feels a little injust to the guys in Europe that aren’t playing, but how can you not have world ranking points when you’ve got this level of a field?”
McIlroy shot a closing 74 at the Charles Schwab Challenge on Sunday and continued that ragged form with three bogeys in his first nine before two late birdies in his oneover 72.
“There was not a lot of difference from Sunday, just missing tee shots,” said the Ulsterman. “I’m missing my three wood left and my driver right.”
Jordan Spieth took a triplebogey seven on his third hole – the 12th – after driving into trees before nailing six successive birdies in his second nine for a 66. His second-nine 29 was the lowest of his career. England’s Matt Fitzpatrick also shot a 66.
Ernie Els carded a 67 on the 20th anniversary of finishing second behind Tiger Woods at the 2000 US Open. “I don’t look back at it as much as Tiger probably because he won there in record fashion,” said the Big Easy.