New putter has Ian Poulter back in Round of 16 at WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play

A perfect 3-0 in pool play this week at the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play, Ian Poulter is clearly firing on all cylinders — no surprise from the Ryder Cup stalwart who always seems to elevate his play for head-to-head contests.

Poulter won this event in 2010 and now has a chance to win it for a second time even though he started this week as the No. 60 seed. There’s clearly something about Poulter in this format. This is the eighth time that he has made the Round of 16 in this event, tied with Tiger Woods, Matt Kuchar and Sergio Garcia for most all time.

However, following a pair of missed cuts, the three-time PGA TOUR winner was hardly in full flight prior to the Match Play. And at 61st in Strokes Gained: Putting, Poulter entered the week in Austin in the midst of his worst work with the flatstick since 2017.

It’s with respect to that portion of his game that the six-time Ryder Cupper made an interesting switch this week. Poulter put his Odyssey White Hot XG 7 putter in timeout as it has “gone cold,” he said, and is gaming a new Scotty Cameron Phantom X 11 Prototype.

Poulter’s penchant for putter-testing is well-publicized, and he mentioned no shortage of the rock-rollers arrive at his doorstep from all variety of manufacturers.

“I am kind of trying them and I'm trying to get the right feel, the right look, and Scottie [Cameron] made me one a week ago, two weeks ago,” Poulter said. “I told him ... I wanted some grooves in the face. He did it. It sits right, and that's all I want. I want something that sits well, that looks nice and feels good. At the minute it's working out quite nice!”

According to Titleist, Poulter worked with Scotty Cameron tour rep Drew Page at last week’s Honda Classic. Following some additional testing, he put it in play in Austin.

“Ian just loved the look of the 11 and the way it sits on the ground,” Page said. “Players continue to talk about how well the putter sets up and it’s a big reason that more and more continue to go into play. It doesn’t open, it doesn’t close, it just sits perfect.”

Poulter’s prototype putter has horizontal grooves on the face, whereas the retail Phantom X models feature a traditional milling pattern.