That was, after all, nonetheless 80 yards away. The tee is effectively cordoned off from followers because it’s the place Rory McIlroy had his golf equipment sampled by a rogue trespasser a yr in the past. The sunshine smattering of applause for Poulter and his fellow LIV Golf suspension-busting colleague Branden Grace was from the handful of marshals.
Two outdated hand golf followers – each with rucksacks, so you understand – have been as shut as you might get to the tenth tee the place Ian Poulter was starting his first spherical of the Genesis Scottish Open.
“Look, it’s Poulter,” mentioned one of many followers because the Ryder Cup hero strode purposefully by in his unmistakably hideous blue tartan trews. “Do you wish to boo him?”
“Nah, can’t be bothered,” mentioned the second.
The pair didn’t comply with the group down the par 5. When the Ryder Cup hero was hacking his means out of the thick tough there have been extra a lot media watching than followers – 10 reporters and photographers in comparison with simply three spectators.
However there have been 30 up on the inexperienced when, having gone lengthy along with his third, Poulter executed a pleasant 50-foot chip for an unlikely birdie 4. That introduced shouts, cheers and claps.
That it was pretty much as good because it received for Poulter, who fronted the authorized motion that received 4 of the banned LIV Golf gamers into the sphere at The Renaissance. He didn’t have one other birdie, and 9 bogeys for a 78, which left him lifeless final out of 160 starters.
And he appeared to be greeted largely with indifference. Scottish golf followers are hardly ever abusive or loud. Even when he handed the Edinburgh Gin Bar on the sixth inexperienced, later within the day after a lot alternative to imbibe, there have been easy well mannered smatterings of applause.
Poulter and Grace have been main out the day’s second wave. That meant they have been ready forlornly on nearly each shot. They didn’t actually have a scoreboard bearer out with them.
Grace didn’t appear to thoughts, an excellent shot to 2 ft on the sixth gaining heat applause and serving to him to a two-under 68. Spain’s Adrian Otaegui, within the first group of the day, had a one-over 71.
However his enjoying accomplice Justin Harding had a bogey-free 65 from the entrance of the sphere. The 36-year-old’s post-round media duties, nevertheless, have been way more onerous than something he encountered on the course.
Clearly unwilling to reveal the timeline behind the authorized problem, how he received concerned and who instigated it, he did reveal that though a competitor at each LIV occasions, he has signed no contract with the insurgent tour.
“I’ve simply participated in a few occasions. I haven’t signed any contracts or offers, so I really feel like I’m in a barely completely different place,” he mentioned. “I’ve no concept if I’m in (the third LIV occasion) at Bedminster or not. If I’m, I’ll have one thing to consider.
