• BMW PGA Championship

Poulter plays down neck injury

ESPN staff
May 21, 2010
Ian Poulter only managed one birdie on his opening round at Wentworth © Getty Images
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Ian Poulter insists his opening-round 78 at the PGA Championship at Wentworth was not related to a neck injury.

The world No. 6, who has not played at the European Tour flagship event since 2007, shot eight bogeys as he slumped to seven-over-par, 13 shots behind first-round leader Danny Willett. But Poulter refused to blame the new course lay-out or his niggling neck problem for his poor round.

"It was nothing to do with my neck or the course," he said. "I just played badly. And when you play poorly here you get punished. That was proper punishment.

"The neck is not a big worry - I had an X-ray on it a couple of months ago when it was bad and my neck is very healthy. It's just there were two joints that were slightly misaligned and, with simple manipulation, it can be relieved quite quickly."

Poulter revealed he had taken to travelling with his own pillows in an attempt to keep the neck injury at bay.

"It's just down to so many planes, trains and automobiles and the pillows they give you," he said. "You have to be so careful. It sounds stupid but you should fly with your own pillows. I'll be taking my own ones everywhere with me from now on.

"My neck was a bit sore again on Monday, so I phoned my mum before I travelled back home from Florida and asked her to put some new pillows and a new duvet on the bed. "I know it sounds over the top but I'm sure the original problem was down to some dodgy airline pillows. So whenever I get on a plane now, I always take my own. I have a love affair with my pillows!"

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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