Jeev Milkha Singh hits a tee shot in Marana, Arizona, on Wednesday. (Reuters)

Marana (Arizona): England’s Ryder Cup star Ian Poulter proved too good for Jeev Milkha Singh who was routed in the first round of WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship here on Wednesday.

In the lop-sided first round duel, Poulter made easy work of his Indian opponent en route to a facile 4&3 win. Poulter began with a birdie and fired five more to run away with the game. Jeev, on his part, birdied the 10th and 13th but that was too little and too late as well and the verdict was clear with three more holes to go.

Padraig Harrington and Sergio Garcia also fell by the wayside in Wednesday’s opening round.

Harrington, winner of three of the last six majors, lost by a hole to American Pat Perez and Spanish world No. 2 Garcia went down by the same margin to South African Charl Schwartzel.

World No. 3 Phil Mickelson squeezed past Argentina’s Angel Cabrera after 19 holes, fellow American Anthony Kim crushed Taiwan’s Lin Wen-tang 7&5 and South African Ernie Els beat Dane Soren Hansen 4&2.

Britain’s Oliver Wilson upset South Korean KJ Choi 3&1, American Zach Johnson beat Britain’s Graeme McDowell 3&1.