01 March 2024 , 20:05
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Ian Poulter has admitted he may never be involved with the European Ryder Cup team again - unless those in charge are replaced.
Poulter is one Europe's greatest Ryder Cup players, earning the nickname 'The Postman' thanks to his ability to deliver in big moments for his continent against their American rivals. On the back of his move to LIV Golf though, the Englishman appeared to bring an end to his relationship with the European team.
After being fined and suspended by the DP World Tour for defecting to the LIV setup, Poulter opted to resign his membership from the Wentworth-based circuit last spring, thus giving up his Ryder Cup eligibility.
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This saw the Majesticks star miss last Autumn's event in Rome alongside fellow LIV members Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia. With the world of golf beginning to heal though, it appears Poulter and co may have the chance to return to the European setup at some point, with a framework agreement currently being negotiated between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia.
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For Poulter however it appears he has now plans to make a return amid the treatment he and his fellow defectors have received over the past two years. "Too much happened last time,” Poulter told Gulf News. “Too much was said and that’s extremely disappointing from my perspective with the way certain people were treated and spoken about with reference to the Ryder Cup.
"Especially when certain people have committed a lot of their life to work extremely hard for that product. So, the way it stands right now, with the current people that run that level of the organisation, things would have to change for me to be involved. That’s from an everything perspective, I’m not needed, they didn’t need me last time.”
Ian Poulter and Sergio Garcia both joined LIV Golf (Getty Images)Officially confirming his playing days in European blue and gold were over, he added: "My years of playing the Ryder Cup are done, I’m too old. I’m 48, so I’d technically be 49 by the time next year’s edition rolls around."
Poulter played in seven Ryder Cups, and found himself on the winning side in five of those as he established himself as a master of the matchplay event.
He announced himself as a legend of the European team alongside Garcia, who has won more Ryder Cup points than any player in the history of the event. While it appears Poulter has ended his relationship with Team Europe, Garcia is still keen to add to his record-breaking tally in 2025.
“I am going to be a member again of the European Tour,” Garcia told the Rick Shiels Golf Show earlier this month. “I always said that I wanted to, when I joined LIV, keep being a member of the DP World Tour. Obviously they didn’t make it too easy to be able to do that, [but] I want to give myself the best possibility of playing the Ryder Cup."
It appears there is one key hurdle in the way of the Spaniard's Ryder Cup return though. Per The Telegraph, Garcia still owes the DP World Tour almost £1million in fines following his move to LIV Golf and would be required to clear the outstanding balance to be able to eligible for selection at Bethpage Black next September.