Ian Poulter has suggested he may not take part in the 2023 Ryder Cup even if he qualifies due to his switch to LIV Golf.
Six of Europe’s best golfers will qualify for the tournament automatically with six more players chosen by captain Luke Donald.
Poulter has deep history with the Ryder Cup, most noticeably in 2012 in the ‘Miracle at Medinah’ where the Englishman was given the nickname ‘Mr Ryder Cup’.
However, the 47-year-old believes his future participation is now uncertain after joining the Saudi-funded LIV Golf last year.
A legal hearing will take place in February and will determine whether the DP World Tour have the ability to ban those who have switch alliances. As well as Poulter, this includes the likes of Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia.
Uncertainty
Speaking to media prior to the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, Poulter said: “I would love to qualify. Whether I play or not would be a different thing.
“I haven’t given up on anything. If I win these two weeks, who knows?,” he added. “I certainly don’t expect to get one of the six [captain’s] picks. Not in any way, shape or form. Which is also a shame. What does that tell you? What is the story there?
“I don’t know where my head is with that. It [the Ryder Cup] is the only thing that has mattered to me for 20 years and when you feel like things change you might feel a little differently.”
Luke Donald stated it was hard to answer “hypotheticals” about whether he would pick players who have defected to LIV Golf but Rory McIlroy believes that they should not be allowed to participate.
Poulter has received criticism recently taking issue with Ryder Cup Europe’s Twitter feed last Thursday for not sending a birthday greeting to Garcia but later said it was a petty decision.
“We always do those petty things, don’t we?” said Poulter. “From time to time we fight petty with petty. These things happen. Through time I have said lots of silly things. But that was just highlighting pettiness with petty. Should I have said it? Yes and no. All I did was highlight a fact. There was no other reason.”