WASHINGTON • Birdies are what golfers desire but Ian Poulter knows how important it is to first and foremost have bogey-free rounds, after posting none at all last season.
The Englishman capped an error-free opening round with a birdie-birdie finish to grab a share of the lead with American Mark Hubbard at the RBC Heritage in Hilton Head, South Carolina on Thursday. According to the PGA Tour, it was his second bogey-free round this campaign and the 35th of his career.
"Any time you shoot seven-under (64) around this golf course, it's obviously a pretty solid day," said the 44-year-old, who won the last of his three PGA Tour titles at the 2018 Houston Open and has never missed the cut in nine previous starts at RBC Heritage. "It's very important being bogey-free. It's a fiddly, testing, tricky golf course."
With the PGA Tour staging just its second event after a three-month hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Poulter showed no signs of rust at the Harbour Town Golf Links after posting seven birdies.
Hubbard, 31, also had a blemish-free round highlighted by an eagle on the par-five second.
They were chased by American Michael Thompson, Colombia's Sebastian Munoz and Norway's Viktor Hovland, who holed out from 27 yards for an eagle on his last hole - the par-four ninth - to join the group of seven one shot back.
Former world No. 1 Jordan Spieth had a roller-coaster round, beginning with a triple-bogey seven on his third hole before scoring eight birdies to lead another group two back.
World No. 1 Rory McIlroy got off to a horrendous start with three bogeys on his outward nine. Playing the back nine first, he steadied himself after the turn for a one-over 72.
"Just missing tee shots," the Northern Irishman said. "Didn't get it in play enough to give myself looks at hitting it close into greens."
Poulter gave his Twitter followers an inside glimpse of some of the Tour's health protocols when he posted a video of himself undergoing a nasal swab Covid-19 test on Wednesday - calling it a "bizarre sensation".
He tested negative, as have all players, caddies and officials for two straight weeks.
REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
