'Never Say Never' - Ian Poulter Gives His Thoughts On Ryder Cup Return

Ian Poulter could not rule out a Ryder Cup return, saying "things change quickly" amid talk of Donald Trump helping move the PIF-PGA Tour talks along

Ian Poulter at LIV Golf Riyadh
(Image credit: Getty Images)

"Never say never" was Ian Poulter's response when asked if he could return to the Ryder Cup fold in the future.

Poulter discussed his Ryder Cup future in an exclusive with Al Arabiya, and also spoke about his plans to emulate Bryson DeChambeau's online success and thoughts on night golf.

The 2025 LIV Golf season began in Riyadh amid plenty of news coming through about the Saudi-backed circuit - including a new TV deal in the UK with ITV.

US President Donald Trump also held a meeting with PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan in what could be a breakthrough in the protracted talks about a Saudi PIF investment deal.

So plenty for Poulter to ponder on, with obviously the Ryder Cup a big talking point should that elusive PGA Tour-PIF deal come to fruition.

“Never say never right," Poulter replied when asked about a Ryder Cup return by Al Arabiya's Micheal Prendergast.

"As it stands today that isn’t an option for me, but things change quite quickly like we’ve seen in the golf landscape, so let’s see how things play out, you never know.”

One thing the PGA Tour and LIV Golf have in common is the pursuit of a younger audience and accessing golfers through social media.

LIV Golf signed up Rick Shiels as an ambassador to help push its content to his audience, while Bryson DeChambeau has attracted a huge following for his entertaining YouTube golfing exploits.

And now Poulter may be joining those ranks too, saying that "in the not too distant future you might see a digital channel coming out, so you’ll have to wait and see” when quizzed about his online plans.

Ian Poulter on Ryder Cup Return: ‘Never Say Never…Things Change Quickly In Golf’ - YouTube Ian Poulter on Ryder Cup Return: ‘Never Say Never…Things Change Quickly In Golf’ - YouTube
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The LIV opener in Riyadh has more innovation from the team tour with the event being played at night under floodlights - which has taken some getting used to.

“It’s been good for me, half man half mattress I like to lay in, so obviously teeing off at 6pm is very different," Poulter said of his night golf experience.

"But from a golf playability perspective it’s new, it’s innovative, like when you see it as it is now, it looks very different at night, so a good test for us all I think, to be able to really kind of pick your lines off the tee visually.

"It’s a challenge, but it’s a great challenge, the lights obviously very different, standing there you’ll have the odd shadow which you have to get used to when you’re setting up over the ball, but I think it’s brilliant.

"I think for us to showcase live golf and do it in a slightly different way and make it a bit more fun, you’ll see that over the coverage.”

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Paul Higham
Contributor

Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website.  Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush. 

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