Feb 9, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Ian Poulter plays his shot from the 11th tee during the second round of the LIV Golf Las Vegas tournament at Las Vegas Country Club. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports/File Photo
(Reuters) - British golfer Ian Poulter said he no longer sees himself playing in the Ryder Cup due to his age and the uproar that surrounded his switch to LIV Golf, which made him ineligible for Team Europe in the biennial team competition.
Poulter, 48, was among many golfers who were deemed ineligible along with the likes of Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood after they resigned their DP World Tour memberships to sign up for the breakaway LIV Golf tour.
While Garcia, the record points scorer in the Ryder Cup, said he is looking to become a member of the DP World Tour again to play in the Ryder Cup, Poulter said he has no such plans. Poulter has played in the Ryder Cup seven times.
"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," he told Gulf News.
"Too much happened last time, 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... I'm not needed, they didn't need me last time – some people said that we weren't needed."
Team Europe beat the Americans 16-1/2-11-1/2 to reclaim the Ryder Cup last year to extend their 30-year unbeaten home record.
But with more golfers making the switch to LIV Golf, there have been calls from top players, such as world number two Rory McIlroy, for the DP World Tour to rewrite the rules on eligibility for the Ryder Cup.
Many golfers had said at the time that those who were ineligible would not be missed but Poulter said he would reconsider returning to the Ryder Cup in some capacity if bridges were rebuilt.
"Absolutely, there's no question. If you cut me in half, it bleeds Ryder Cup, right?" he said.
"But I also have my own self dignity and respect in there to not allow people to say certain stuff and disrespect you."
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
