PGA Match Play Showdown: Rory Defeats Hopkins, 7&6

Michael Whitmer covers Ian Poulter's call to the media to chill out on the Rory ripping (video here), check out the exchange between McIlroy and Global Golf Post's John Hopkins later in the press center.

The video is more revealing (could not find any), but either way say what you want about the state of the lad's game, he handled this better than most would:

Q. Ian Poulter was in here a couple of hours ago, and we were asking him about you, and he said he thought that we should lay off you. Do you feel we should lay off you?

RORY McILROY: I don't know, I mean, it's ... I'd definitely rather be up here talking about more positive things, but I guess that's the way it is.

Should you lay off me? That's not for me to decide. That's not ... I'm here and I'm answering your questions and that's all I can do. Yeah, as I said, it would be nicer just to sit up here, talk about some more positive things, but the way this year's gone, it's understandable why I'm not.

Q. It's very nice of you to say it's not for you to decide, but you're the only person who can decide whether you think we should lay off you?
RORY McILROY: You're the only people who can decide whether you lay off me or not, so it's not my decision. (Laughter).

Q. You can say whether you think we should.

RORY McILROY: No, I think you should do what you want. Ask me the questions that you want to ask (shrugging shoulders).

McIlroy tees off at 1:25 ET with Vijay Singh and Martin Kaymer.