Oct 23 (Reuters) - England's Ian Poulter is the latest player to leave LIV Golf, saying he will not be part of the proposed 2.0 relaunch as he looks to focus on senior golf and spend more time with family.
Poulter's announcement comes days after former British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen said he was moving on from the breakaway circuit, whose future remains uncertain.
Former world number one Jon Rahm is also among those quitting LIV, which is fighting to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy after Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund said in April it was cutting funding.
LIV has secured investment from BC Partners Credit and is set to make a decision this month on whether it winds down or moves forward with a 2.0 model.
"I have decided to not move forward with being part of LIV 2.0," Poulter said in a lengthy post on X.
"Needless to say, it was a tough decision and one I thought about and discussed at length with my family and team."
The 50-year-old, a five-times Ryder Cup winner, did not win an individual or team title during his time with LIV but boasts 17 professional victories, including three on the PGA Tour.
"Ultimately, the opportunity to spend more time at home with my family, reduce international travel, focus on senior golf and have the opportunity to pursue other interests was something that I felt was right for me at this stage of my life and career," Poulter said.
He was part ofLIV's inaugural event in June 2022 and later became one of the leaders of Majesticks GC alongside Lee Westwood and Henrik Stenson.
Poulter was among a group of established stars who accepted lucrative contracts to join the breakaway circuit from the traditional tours and was a vocal defender of the move.
“Change is never easy and it's fair to say professional golf has experienced plenty of it over the last few years," Poulter said. "But I've always believed that change can create opportunity and ultimately lead to positive outcomes."
(Reporting by Karan Prashant Saxena in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)
