New York, golf, and a side of bagels. Bethpage Black is about to get electric with the 2025 Ryder Cup set for September 26th-28th. The intensity will be as fierce as a Yankees vs. Red Sox playoff game, and just like a perfectly folded slice of Brooklyn pizza, the action will be impossible to put down. The only thing that could take a little shine off the excitement? The absence of some Ryder Cup legends like Ian Poulter.
We will take a look at the reasons in a bit. But first, let’s examine the unexpected support Poulter received from a PGA Tour golfer! Recently, American golfer Webb Simpson sat down for a chat on The Smylie Show with Kaufman. After being announced as the U.S. team’s Ryder Cup vice-captain back in 2024, the conversation eventually shifted to Simpson’s journey with the Ryder Cup. Just in case you are unaware, Simpson has represented his country 6 times, making three Ryder Cup appearances (2012, 2014, and 2018). Now, he holds a record of 4-4-1. Undoubtedly, he knows everything there is to know about the Ryder Cup.
Kaufman asked Simpson about his Ryder Cup strategy when faced with someone like Ian Poulter. What will he do? Will he kill Poulter with kindness? Simpson replied with confidence: “I mean, it’s not my personality to, like, play games or to talk junk. Like, I have never done it before. I don’t think I’d be good at it.” So if not that, what will Simpson do? The golfer said he believes Poulter is not someone who responds well to people “telling him, ‘good shot, nice putt, good swing,’ or whatever. So that was my way of trying to get into his head.”
Back in 2012 at Medinah, Ian Poulter and Webb Simpson faced each other in the last two holes. Who won? Poulter, of course, in both foursomes and singles! In 2014, the two golfers went back and forth all day, but Poulter’s birdie on the par-5 18th hole halved the match. Undoubtedly, there’s a clear winner here. Speaking about Poulter, the golfer acknowledged that Poulter is a great player. “He just seemed to elevate his game in the Ryder Cup more than in any other tournament. He was really good for the Ryder Cup.”
Ian Poulter can easily be considered one of the best. He has a 100% record from his 4 singles matches and 8 wins from 11 matches across foursomes and fourballs. However, despite such a sparkling history with the Ryder Cup, it is unlikely that we will see him this season. This situation stems from his relationship with LIV Golf after he resigned from his European Tour membership upon joining LIV Golf, like fellow golfer Sergio Garcia. So what is going on with Ian Poulter these days?
Ian Poulter in the Ryder Cup and the 2025 season
We have already taken a look at Ian Poulter’s record in the Ryder Cup, but let’s explore why he’s not likely to play anymore. As we mentioned before, it has everything to do with his decision to join LIV Golf and step away from the DP Tour. However, in addition to that, Poulter has also stated that he doesn’t think he’s a good choice anymore. Back in 2024, he sat down with Gulf News for a discussion on the topic. “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.”
Additionally, he cited “certain people” who discussed him in relation to the Ryder Cup. He found this disappointing, “especially when certain people have committed a lot of their life to work extremely hard for that product.” This was back in March 2024. With the Ryder Cup off the table, what is the LIV golfer currently doing?
Ian Poulter has currently played in three LIV Golf events this season. He started the year with LIV Golf Hong Kong, finishing at T42. He followed that with a T31 finish at the next LIV Golf event in Adelaide. Back in February, he performed slightly better, finishing T30 at LIV Golf Riyadh. He will next compete at LIV Golf Singapore. Will it be a better outing for the golfer? Well, only time will tell!
The post Shut Out by Europeans, LIV Golf Pro Gets Unexpected Backing From Webb Simpson: ‘Good for the Ryder Cup’ appeared first on EssentiallySports.
