Ian Poulter is in contention to win the Players Championship after enjoying a superb first round at Sawgrass.
Poulter, 8/1 with bookmaker to win a tournament known as the fifth Major, carded an impressive seven-under 65 to sit at the top of the leaderboard alongside Scot Martin Laird, who is 14/1 to emerge victorious this weekend.
Poulter single-putted nine successive holes from the ninth to the 17th and is in an upbeat mood, saying: “It’s no surprise to me to be fresh in the mind this week. I have felt relaxed.
“It’s nice when my mind is empty and I can do what it is I love to do, and that’s go out there and play golf. It’s a little demanding out there and I played very well.”
World number one Rory McIlroy and his closest challenger in the world rankings Luke Donald could only return level-par 72s while Lee Westwood and Phil Mickelson shot 71s.
