Fans slammed Ian Poulter after he quit LIV Golf 2.0 to spend time with family, as the former DP World Tour star will join Rahm and Hatton on the list of departers

Following his announcement that he will not participate in LIV Golf 2.0, Ian Poulter has drawn criticism from fans, coming amid a recent wave of player departures and the demise of LIV Golf.

Poulter joined two-time major winner Jon Rahm, Lucas Herbert, Adrian Meronk, David Puig, Tyrrell Hatton, and a handful of other professionals who announced they will not be part of LIV Golf in 2027.

With legal hearings canceled this week, attorneys have not yet confirmed whether the rebel circuit will proceed. The 2027 season is currently scheduled for only 10 events, and players face a Monday deadline to commit to LIV Golf's future.

Shortly after revealing on social media that he is stepping back to prioritize family and achieve a better work/life balance, former Ryder Cup and DP World Tour standout Poulter faced swift backlash from fans.

“Weird I thought “more time with family” and “less travel” were reasons to join LIV in the first place,” wrote one user on X.

Poulter joined the league in June 2022, and was a former standout on the DP World and PGA Tour's beforehand.

But, the DP World Tour has ruled that LIV golfers will be banned from competing in all of its events by 2027, effectively barring any 2027 LIV Golf player from participating in the Ryder Cup at Adare Manor.

In February 2026, Poulter expressed a strong desire to return to the Ryder Cup in any role.

“I have decided to not move forward with being part of LIV 2.0,” wrote Poulter online today. “Needless to say, it was a tough decision and one I thought about and discussed at length with my family and team.

“Ultimately, the opportunity to spend more time at home with my family, reduce international travel, focus on senior golf and have the opportunity to pursue other interests was something that I felt was right for me at this stage of my life and career.”

Luke Poulter, a senior at the University of Florida, has established a golf career already. He’s made two Walker Cup appearances and secured an exemption into the 2027 Arnold Palmer Invitational. He is a two-time PING All-American and a two-time Golfweek All-American.

“As for what's next for me, I'm genuinely excited about this next chapter,” continued Ian Poutler in his statement.

“I'm looking forward to spending more time with my family, continuing to develop The Postman YouTube channel, sharing more of my life, golf, experiences and competing in some senior events. Something I am also particularly looking forward to is being able to spend more time helping Luke as he pursues his career in professional golf, and Joshua as he looks to develop as a golfer in his teenage years.

“Having spent so many years traveling the world chasing my own golfing dreams, the opportunity to now spend more time supporting my boys as they chase theirs is something that means a great deal to me.”

Poutler did not announce he would return to the DP World Tour, instead noting his career is up in the air.