Ian Poulter openly admitted that winning this week's LIV golf event at his home course, JCB Country Club, “means a lot” as he aims for his first victory since joining the controversial tour two years ago.
Back in the UK, Poulter is preparing for the British leg of the LIV Series, which will move from the Centurion Club to the famous JCB course in Uttoxeter. The British golfer was one of the high-profile players to defect to the Saudi-backed tour last year, but he has struggled to live up to expectations.
“I thought I wasn’t doing as well as I wanted to in the LIV events,” Poulter recalled. “I wasn’t happy with my performances over the past few seasons.”
He went on to detail his recent form: “I think I'm pretty close. Played one decent round of golf, two OK rounds, 16 good holes and two bad holes.”
Stressing the significance of a potential win, he said: “It means a lot… For me, it means having the right adrenaline, the right attitude and the right mindset to go out this week and have fun on the golf course with the fans and enjoy the competition.”
Poulter is often referred to as “The Postman” because he always delivers when it counts, especially during Europe’s legendary “Miracle of Medinah” Ryder Cup win in 2012. He has gone on to become one of Europe’s all-time greats after a stellar career with numerous successes, especially in the Ryder Cup.
He has 12 wins on the DP World Tour and three more on the PGA Tour, his last victory coming at the Houston Open in 2018. A win this week, though, would match his previous success.
He added: “If we are successful this week then we will be pretty high up in the rankings, at 48th.”
Some of the Majesticks’ strongest results have been achieved in the UK, with the all-European team also including Lee Westwood, Sam Horsfield and Henrik Stenson, finishing third in 2022 and fifth in 2023. Explaining the importance of the home fans to their efforts, Poulter commented: “The home fans are an important piece of the puzzle for us.
“I think with that level of support you feel extra pressure to play well in front of your home fans, which is good because it gets the adrenaline going early. Your brain is on from the start. But in terms of knowledge, we certainly need to learn as much as anyone else. We'll have the home fans this week.”
One of Poulter's team-mates, Horsfield, is a member of the JCB Stadium and revealed at a press conference on Tuesday that he lives just five minutes away from the venue. The local lad has provided the Majesticks with a detailed strategy to clinch the title ahead of Sunday.
“Someone asked me yesterday what I thought the key to winning here was,” Horsfield said. “Iron hitting, distance control, and being able to get the ball in the right spot.”
