AUSTIN, Texas – Ian Poulter has seen Rory McIlroy do enough special things on a golf course to know that even with a comfortable early lead on Day 1 at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, he couldn’t let up.
“I got 3 up in that match early. So being in that position against Rory, you kind of don't want to let him back in the match because if he gets any kind of flow, he's going to be a really tough opponent to shrug off,” Poulter said.
But this is a different McIlroy. Although the Northern Irishman cut Poulter’s advantage in the day’s first match to a single hole, the issues in his swing that prompted him to recently turn to a new swing coach remain.