Ian Poulter greeted with cheers and boos at start of BMW PGA Championship
- Planet Sport writer
- 8 September 2022
Ian Poulter, one of 18 LIV Golf players in the BMW PGA Championship, was greeted with a mixture of boos and cheers when he teed off at Wentworth.
Poulter received a similar reception on the first tee in the first round of the Open Championship at St Andrews in July.
DP World Tour members like Poulter, Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood are eligible for the tournament after their suspensions for playing in the inaugural event of the Saudi-backed breakaway were temporarily stayed on appeal, with the full hearing set for February.
Rory McIlroy admitted on Wednesday that his relationship with a number of Ryder Cup team-mates has been significantly damaged by their defection to LIV Golf.
McIlroy said he found the presence of the LIV players at Wentworth "hard to stomach" and, when asked if his relationship with Poulter, Westwood and Garcia specifically could survive, added: "I wouldn't say I've got much of a relationship with them at the minute.
"They are here. They are playing the golf tournament. My opinion is they shouldn't be here, but again that's just my opinion.
"But if you're just talking about Ryder Cup, that's not the future of the Ryder Cup team. They've played in probably a combined 25, 30 Ryder Cups, whatever it is.
"The Hojgaards (Rasmus and Nicolai), Bobby Mac (Robert MacIntyre), whoever else is coming up. They are the future of the Ryder Cup team. That's what we should be thinking about and talking about."
