In His 20th British Open, Ian Poulter Starts Solid and Blocks Out the Noise

The reception is now different for the Englishman as a member of LIV Golf, but on Thursday the 46-year-old showed he still has a knack for links golf.

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland — As Ian James Poulter tells it, the reception on the first tee for his 20th British Open appearance was tremendous, not a hint of a sneer or jeer, but just clapping for an Englishman that has had his issues over the last couple of months.

The issues are well documented, he is a LIV Golfer and with that moniker comes baggage that is unfamiliar to a player that has been a fan favorite through his career.

Outspoken and at times and a little over the top, Poulter can be lovable as well.

But the love affair for Poulter, 46, and other LIV Golfers has been strained to some extent with the public. It's also become problematic with fellow professionals that for most of their careers have been friends.

“I've heard great comments, great talks with everyone,” Poulter said of his discussions with his fellow professionals over the last two weeks at the Scottish Open and British Open. “Even if they have a difference of opinion, that's that. We all have opinions, right? We're still friends, whatever the landscape is and wherever you're playing golf.”

At 46, the former professional from Leighton Buzzard knows this will likely be his last British Open at the Old Course, so his desire after missing the cut last week at the Scottish Open by seven shots was to keep all the distractions at a minimum and concentrate on this week.

On the first hole, Poulter thought the left side was the better approach to a pin near the front of the green, just over the burn, but he almost hit it OB with a toe pull.

“When I walked off that 1st tee, is it Ian James Finch or what could this be? It was 5 feet from out of bounds,” Poulter said, referring to Ian Baker Finch, who drove the ball out of bounds in 1995 on the first hole. “Took a drop for the barrier and got off to a decent start after that really. Played nice, plenty of chances.”

One of those chances included an eagle on the drivable par-4 9th hole, where Poulter just aimed at the hole more than 150 feet away, smacked his putter and got what he called a “Brucie bonus,” or in the English language an unexpected bonus.

“You don't ever hole those putts,” Poulter said of what he believed to be the longest converted putt in his career. “Two-putt from there is a pretty good feat, but obviously rolling one in is a nice bonus.”

Poulter would give a couple back on the 11th and 15th with what he called “silly three-putts.”

“It's not easy putting into the wind from 70, 60, 50 feet over little ridges,” Poulter said. “And it's hard to get it close to some of those pins if you haven't got the perfect yardage.”

Getting back to LIV, Poulter has decided not to listen to or read the comments of others this week in the interview room.

Instead, Poulter has decided to just focus on his golf.

“I wasn't surprised, I was deeply disappointed with how I handled everything myself last week from a perspective of losing focus out on the golf course more than anything else,” Poulter said of missing the cut at the Scottish Open. “I don't play golf very well distracted, so having levels of distraction there is never easy. So, separating myself away from that this week has obviously been a good thing and not let in certain comments or just general noise affect you.”

Poulter joked that he left school at 15 to pursue golf as a career. But at the same time, it seems Poulter is a bit perplexed that the golf powers are struggling to come up with some solution to LIV Golf.

“I would hope so, but cleverer people are obviously at the top of the tree than I am,” Poulter said when asked about a solution. I would have thought clever people could figure this out, clearly not.”

As Poulter said all he can do is control what happens between the ropes and at 3 under par he’s on the early leaderboard, four shots behind Cameron Young with a chance if he stays focused.

“I would love to be able to do something special on Sunday as we all, everybody competing in this 150th Open, dream of holding that Claret Jug,” Poulter said. “Goes without saying that I'd love to be able to do that. Getting off to a nice start is good, but it's links golf. There's a lot of golf to play.”

More British Open Coverage from SI.com/Morning Read:

> Once Again, Rory McIlroy Out Fast In a Major With a 66 at the British Open
> Bryson DeChambeau's British Open Starts Safely, But Is His Future In Danger?
> Phil Mickelson, Asked to Not Participate in 150th British Open Celebrations, Still Enjoying the Week
> 2022 British Open Day 1: Scores, Live Updates From the Old Course at St. Andrews
> Tiger Woods Shoots 78 To Start the British Open He Eagerly Awaited
> Cameron Young Breaks Out Fast On a Slow Day
> What to Watch in Round 2 at St. Andrews: Wet Weather, More Rory, and Tiger's Battle to Make the Cut
> Watch: Round 1 Recap, Can Tiger Turn It Around?

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