Ian Poulter admits to over-eating to deal with LIV backlash

Poulter, 47, joined the Saudi-funded golf league last summer and finished in a tie for 11th in the opening event of this season, staged in Mexico last week.

Ahead of that, he spoke to James Corrigan of The Telegraph where he detailed how the abuse he received for joining LIV impacted him.

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“Those [sausage] sarnies, covered in HP sauce, on a daily basis, were great, delicious, as was all the chocolate and everything, but I was feeling awful, slovenly, and it was plainly not a good situation,” said the Englishman.

“I would never admit that I was stress-eating, but who knows the way the mind works. I was getting ridiculous abuse and, in that sense, they were tough times.”

In a wide-ranging discussion, the Ryder Cup star also opened up on his reasons for accepting an offer to join Greg Norman’s new venture, describing the abuse he received as “pretty vile” and “not necessary”.

“I don’t just think of my kids, but their kids and their kids and that is what I work for,” he said. “People might have their objections. I’m not sure I get it, but fair enough. Yet I don’t understand why they take it so far.”

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Poulter added that he hopes the release of golf docu-series ‘Full Swing’ will be a ‘turning point’ for him. He features extensively in the third episode and says that it appears to have changed how people are interacting with him.

“After the first seven or eight months of having the same opinion shouted at me, I was worried how it would be received, but I have been taken aback by the response,” he said.

“Solling through the messages, since it was released, it’s been one positive thing after another. The opposite of what I’ve become used to. I’ve had loads saying, ‘Olease accept an apology – I’ve said things to you that I shouldn’t and have a new respect level. Anyone would do that for their family’.”

Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor