Ian Poulter had never seen anything quite like it on a golf course, and being hit with a snowball hurled by a fellow player summed up a bizarre day at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship on Wednesday.

Champion here in 2010, Poulter was 3-up on fellow Briton Steven Gallacher after 12 holes in their first-round match when play was abandoned due to a blanket of snow at Dove Mountain.

"It's been a few years since I've seen snow to be honest with you," Poulter said with a smile before making his way back to his hotel.