Golf requires technical mastery, mental clarity, and some secrets. At least that’s what LIV golfer Ian Poulter‘s son believes. Competing in the East Lake Cup, Luke Poulter won dominantly for his team in match play. When asked how he clutched the win so quickly, the younger golfer decided to keep his father’s tactics to himself. So, what exactly went down?

The East Lake Cup, a collegiate tournament, is teeing off in Atlanta from October 27-29. Starting with stroke-play on Monday, the final two rounds are commenced in the match-play format. In Luke’s match-play round on Tuesday, he took on Tom Fisher in a deciding finish for his team, the Florida Gators. Posting a 6&4 win, Luke claimed the match early, with 4 holes left. This level of dominance in match-play is something Ian Poulter portrays as well. Naturally, drawing the connections, the host asked what strategies and tactics Luke picked up from Poulter’s game.

“Yeah, I mean, he’s helped me a lot. I mean, he’s just tried to, yeah, obviously, he’s unbelievable in match play, and telling me to just play my own game. Kind of, there are some little hidden tactics in there that I’ll keep to myself. But, yeah, I mean, he’s given me as much advice as I need,” Luke replied. Although he acknowledged Poulter’s influence, their secrets aren’t really something he wants to give away, and rightfully so!

Ian Poulter’s commendable performance in the Ryder Cup proves he is one of the best out there in match play. His Ryder Cup record is- 15-8-2 over 25 matches. That suggests a points-win rate of approximately 64%. His Ryder Cup fourballs showdown in Medinah 2012 highlights just that, with 5 consecutive birdies to force a decisive start. Moreover, beyond the Ryder Cup, Poulter has recorded strong games in other match-play tournaments as well.

In 2010, Poulter defeated Paul Casey in the WGC‑Accenture Match Play Championship, 4&2, suggesting a commanding performance. Moreover, Poulter won the Volvo World Match Play Championship in 2011 against Luke Donald in the final round, 3&2. These victories by such huge margins reflect Poulter’s tendency to make an aggressive start, putting pressure on the opponent to catch up.

Poulter’s attitude is simple: “I kind of like the sh-t or bust attitude, to be honest with you,” said Poulter. “It gets the adrenaline going, the ticker starts going, and quite frankly, you’ve just got to be—sh-t or bust. You’ve got to pony up and hit shots, right? So you got to suck it up and sh-t or bust.”

Now, coming back to the East Lake Cup, besides Luke, the rest of the team delivered outstanding performances as well.

How did Luke Poulter’s team perform?

Parker Bell posted a 5&3 victory, earning another point for their team. The clincher was by Jack Turner, who birdied the 18th to seal the point. Ultimately, the Florida Gators won their semis against the Ole Miss Rebels, 3&2. The team has another final match to win to secure the cup.

While the entire team contributed to the collective victory on day 2, Luke’s victory was hands down the most dominating. The collegiate star took a grip on the match early and held momentum throughout the round. This level of understanding and golfing maturity only comes from years of experience. Or what you call the family’s golfing “DNA.”

Either way, Luke Poulter’s match-play performance was incredibly strong. He birdied 7 holes and made a bogey in only one hole. As a result, in all of 14 holes Luke played, he lost only one hole. This brings his collegiate record to 6-2.

“Yeah, I just stick to my game plan. I mean, I knew I was playing good and just kind of can’t let it off. I mean, I’m just, yeah, I just want to beat him as hard as I can. So I just, yeah, stick to what I was doing and just, I knew my putter was good, so I just got to give myself some looks and I did just that,” Luke claimed, reflecting his confidence in his game.

This all-or-nothing mindset invites more risk but promises better rewards as well. As it turns out, this is something that has worked for both Ian Poulter and his son, Luke.