IAN POULTER got back to making plenty of noise on the golf course after spending a couple of days surrounded by “an eerie silence”.
Apart from a blip that saw him miss the cut at Carnoustie, Poulter’s name has become a regular feature on leaderboards on both sides of the Atlantic, and a three under par 67 at the US PGA continued the trend.
Clik here to view.
DAY ONE SCORES
1. Woodland -6
2. Fowler -5
T3. Stone -4
T3. Z.Johnson -4
(selected others)
T5. Poulter -3
T5. Day -3
T5. Rose -3
T16. Fisher -2
T33. Fleetwood -1
T48. Woods E
T48. McIlroy E
That was despite a decision not to turn up at Bellerive until the day before the tournament, even though it meant he squeezed in just nine practice holes.
Poulter explained: “I was a bit disappointed at how I finished off in Akron last week, dropping into a share of tenth after being in the top two for 54 holes, and I felt I needed to chill out a bit at home in Florida.
“Katie and the kids weren’t getting back from holiday in the UK until Tuesday evening, which meant two days in my own bed in an empty house – but it felt really weird.
“I’ve never known the house so quite. It was like an eerie silence had descended, and I was even more glad when they got back.
Clik here to view.
Clik here to view.
Latest golf news
“I’ve never left it this late to turn up at a Major, but everyone kept saying this was a course that wouldn’t take much figuring out.
“And the weather forecast for storms and boiling temperatures meant it made even more sense to chill.
“This is my fifth event in a row so I need to conserve energy levels. The way I’ve starter here tells me I’ve got it about right – so far!”
Poulter’s first round left him in an early tie for second place, two shots adrift of leader Rickie Fowler.