By Mark Lamport-Stokes

MARANA, Arizona (Reuters) - Winning last year's WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship has earned Ian Poulter no favors for his teeoff time Wednesday when he launches his title defense in the morning chill not long after dawn.

The flamboyant Briton, who faces experienced American Stewart Cink in the opening round at Dove Mountain's Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, will set off in the first match of the day at 7:25 a.m. MST (1425 GMT).

"I was a little surprised," world number 12 Poulter told reporters on Tuesday when asked about his early start time. "I wasn't expecting to be out first.

"I mean 7:25, defending champion, how many people are going to be through the gates at 7:00 in the morning? It's going to be cold, you know. And I'm a Floridian, come on," he added with a laugh.

The Florida-based Englishman conceded, though, that it was neither a good nor a bad draw.

"I don't think it really matters, does it?" said Poulter, who beat fellow Englishman Paul Casey 4&2 in last year's 36-hole final. "It's going to be the same for both of us. It's going to be cold.

"You're going to have to have the mitts (mittens) on for the front nine and hopefully you're a couple up (after) the first nine holes."

SHORT DEFENSE

One reporter joked that if Poulter was beaten by Cink, who reached the Match Play final at Dove Mountain in 2008, the Briton's title defense could end up being the shortest on record.

"Could be, I could be on an airplane by mid-afternoon, I guess," Poulter said as laughter erupted in the interview room. "Thanks for that. I hadn't really thought about that until you just mentioned it."

As the 12th-ranked player in the world, Poulter was always going to tee off in the first match at Dove Mountain, following the pattern established here over the last four years.

In 2009 British Open champion Cink, he faces an experienced matchplay golfer whose own world ranking has slipped to 57th after a winless 2010 campaign.

"I'm looking forward to that very much," said Poulter, who clinched his maiden PGA Tour title with his victory here last year. "He's played the last few Ryder Cups and is a very strong match player.

"So it will be an interesting match, but hopefully one that I can come through and move my way through the table."

Asked whether he felt world rankings mattered in matchplay golf, Poulter replied: "I don't think it makes any difference. You're going to see some upsets tomorrow. You're also going to see some guys get through shooting one or two over par.

"You just have to beat your opponent. Whether it's (world number one Lee) Westwood, whether it's someone further down the rank action, you just have to play your game and hopefully that's good enough."

(Editing by Frank Pingue)