Ian Poulter is making his 20th Open Championship appearance this week – but it’s unlikely he has ever experienced a ‘welcome’ quite like the one he got on the first tee at St Andrews this morning.
The 46-year-old Englishman was booed by a section of the crowd as he got his title tilt under way a little after 7am, no doubt in response to his involvement with the controversial LIV Golf Series.
Poulter, a runner-up in the championship at Royal Birkdale in 2008, was visibly rattled by the incident and proceeded to almost hook his tee shot out of bounds.
The Ryder Cup star’s ball finished only a couple of yards inside the white stakes down the left hand side of the widest fairway in golf. He did, though, manage to save par.
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There was a mixed reaction other LIV Golf ‘rebels’ who started their campaigns early on Thursday morning.
Like Poulter, Patrick Reed was also subjected to some jeers from the crowd, whilst 2013 champion Phil Mickelson and 2020 US Open winner Bryson DeChambeau were not.
WATCH: IAN POULTER HOOKS TEE SHOT AFTER BOOS AT 150TH OPEN
Ian Poulter almost goes OB on his tee shot at the first hole.
Poulter saved par at the first.#TheOpen
📺: @peacockTVpic.twitter.com/NLeIQaDH6p— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) July 14, 2022
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