'Shame On Them' - Ian Poulter On Potential Ryder Cup Captaincy Snub

The Ryder Cup legend said "shame on them" if the DP World Tour doesn't allow LIV players to captain Team Europe

Ian Poulter hits a drive at the LIV Mayakoba event
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Ian Poulter has said if Ryder Cup Europe chose not to have a LIV Golf player as captain then "shame on them" after answering fan questions on Instagram.

The Englishman was expected to be European captain for the 2025 match at Bethpage Black in New York but his future captaincy days seem numbered following Henrik Stenson's removal as 2023 skipper.

Poulter was asked if he thinks LIV Golf will last, with the fan saying they were "gutted" that the seven-time Ryder Cupper probably won't get a chance to captain Europe.

"LIV Golf League is here to stay it's only 30 rounds old," Poulter wrote on Instagram. "And every start up business takes time. I'm so proud to see how far it's come in such a short space of time. It's an incredible business and product and it will be incredible.

"And if the DP World Tour chose to not have any LIV golfer as captain after they have supported them and still do for over 25 years then shame on them. Sad but that's on them. Time will tell and once all the info is out things will change I'm sure."

Ian Poulter celebrates holing a chip shot at the Ryder Cup

Poulter has been on five winning teams in his seven Ryder Cup appearances

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Poulter's DP World Tour and Ryder Cup future is set to be decided soon when a verdict from the recent arbitration panel hearing is announced.

The decision is expected some time between April and June, relating to whether the DP World Tour could ban and fine players for going against declined release requests to play in the LIV Golf opener last year.

OTHER POTENTIAL FUTURE RYDER CUP CAPTAINS:

Graeme McDowell and Sergio Garcia celebrate winning the 2014 Ryder Cup

McDowell and Garcia were potential future captains

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Graeme McDowell recently told Golf by Tour Miss that he would be "very disappointed" to not be a future Ryder Cup captain or vice-captain but says he has "accepted" the fact that his chances are likely gone. The Northern Irishman was a likely candidate for the 2027 match at Adare Manor.

Another guaranteed future captain who has joined LIV Golf is Sergio Garcia. The Spaniard, who is the Ryder Cup's record points scorer, has had a public fallout with Rory McIlroy, whom he said was "lacking maturity", and it seems he will never appear in the biennial match again.

Garcia told Marca in December that some Europeans have shown a lack of class.

“Because if there are three or four who if I'm there will be looking at me badly and do not want me there ... What do I bring to the team?,” he said on the Ryder Cup. “I really want to be there to be me, to be the Sergio who plays the Ryder, who loves and who puts an arm over everyone's shoulder to help.

“And if then you have people there who because you have decided to go to another Tour you are no longer their friend, you are the bad one, you are the one such or that, that has disappointed me and has taught me that really those people who thought they were friends of mine are not.

“Jon [Rahm] is not one of them, but there are others who have shown very little class."

Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!


Elliott is currently playing:


Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV