Improved driving gives Poulter a boost at Sawgrass

By Mark Lamport-Stokes

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida (Reuters) - Ian Poulter made the most of improved accuracy off the tee to climb into contention at the Players Championship on Thursday.

Renowned for his flamboyant dress sense, the spiky-haired Englishman opened with a three-under-par 69 to lie three strokes behind pacesetting Spaniard Sergio Garcia.

"It's always nice to get off to a good start," Poulter told reporters after carding five birdies and two bogeys on the challenging Stadium Course at the Tournament Players Club at Sawgrass.

"It gives you a bit of confidence for the rest of the week. I've always played well generally when I've got off to a good start and I certainly would like to play well for the rest of the week.

"This golf tournament is one everybody wants to win and that's why it's rated as probably the fifth major."

After teeing off at the par-four 10th, Poulter birdied the 11th, the tricky 17th and the 18th to reach the turn in three-under 33.

Although he bogeyed the third and fourth in breezy conditions, he recovered with birdies at the seventh and ninth.

"I started to drive it really well," said the seven-times European Tour winner.