East Lake, Atlanta, GA … Rory McIlroy was clearly surprised to learn European vice-captain, Ian Poulter has purchased the ex-Chicago local police vehicle that helped get McIlroy to Medihah with minutes to spare ahead of his 2012 Ryder Cup Singles match.

The unmarked squad car, a 2005 Ford Crown Victoria, was first auctioned off via E-Bay after reaching it’s ‘retirement’ mileage but somehow has now found its way into the hands of the car-collecting Poulter for an undisclosed price.

McIlroy was asked his reaction to Poulter purchasing the car after posting a two under par 68 on the first day of the PGA Tour’s season-ending Tour Championship.

“Did he?  Well, he will get more use of out it than I did,” said McIlroy.

Rory McIlroy in an unmarked Chicago police car on route to the 2012 final round of the Ryder Cup.

It was the transport then PGA of America official, Erica Stroll had organised for McIlroy and with McIlroy, of course, now engaged to Stroll.

The squad car was being driven by Lombard Deputy Chief Pat Rollins.

McIlroy posted four birdies in succession near the end of his round to salvage what could have been a horror Players Championship start for the four-time Major winner at East Lake.

He was two over par after back-to-back double bogeys at seven and eight, and all up had seven birdies, a bogey and the two doubles on his card in a score of a two under par 68.

He said:  “There was not a lot of 4s on the scorecard, that’s for sure but there was a lot of 3s and that helped turn around what was a pretty erratic round.”