PGA Tour star: I’d like to Cantona kung-fu kick abusive fans

Remember that time Eric Cantona kung-fu kicked a fan whilst playing for Manchester United away to Crystal Palace in January 1995?

Ian Poulter does – and he’s been thinking about it lately.

The Englishman has been subjected to heckling from crowds on the PGA Tour at various times of late, most notably at the PLAYERS Championship a fortnight ago.

In retaliation, the 43-year-old vented his frustrations on social media, describing those who abused him as “idiots”.

“Real shame in this day and age we still have a few idiots that can’t handle a couple of beers,” added Poulter after round three at TPC Sawgrass.

Subsequently, Rory McIlroy has called on golf’s power-brokers to do more to control fan behaviour at events, whilst already this week at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play Championship, Bubba Watson and Tiger Woods’ caddie Joe LaCava have both had separate run-ins with the galleries.

Reflecting on some of the abuse he has been on the receiving end of, Poulter revealed how he would have ideally dealt with his hecklers – and despite being an ardent Arsenal fan, he would ideally have channelled the spirit of Manchester United great Cantona.

“If I was a footballer, I’d have done the Cantona move, but that would have got me suspended and that wouldn’t be any good,” Poulter told The Telegraph.

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“You have to try to rise above it, but some of it was pretty sick and it’s horrible when your wife and children are in the galleries – a 17-year old, 14-year-old, a 10-year-old and a seven-year-old – and they have to listen to their dad being verbally abused.”

In case you need a refresher of the Cantona move Poulter’s referring to, here you go…