Ian Poulter believes Rory McIlroy needs to go his own way to rediscover the form which brought him two major titles by the age of 23.

McIlroy missed the cut in last week's Open Championship at Muirfield, labelling his play "brain dead" after an opening round of 79.

The 24-year-old Northern Irishman won five times last year, including his second major by eight shots in the USPGA Championship, to finish top of the money list on both sides of the Atlantic.

But he has yet to record a win in 2013 since a multimillion-pound switch to Nike in January, walked off the course during his defence 
of the Honda Classic and bent one of his clubs during the final round of the US Open last month.

Asked if he had any advice for his Ryder Cup team-mate, Poulter said: "Stop reading the newspapers, stop listening to other people, go out there and do your stuff.

"There is a reason he was sought after by a new manufacturer and they pay the big bucks because he is that good. He's just going to have to settle into the equipment, settle into himself being in a different environment. The expectations after winning both money titles, there is some comedown after that. He just has to go out there and be himself."