LIV GOLF NEW YORK

August 6, 2026

Ian Poulter

Trump National Golf Club Bedminster

Majesticks GC

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Let's welcome to the Media Center Ian Poulter, captain of Majesticks GC. Ian, well played today, 5-under, currently in second place. How proud are you of today's score, given not only the challenging course but the conditions and the heat and everything going on out there?

IAN POULTER: Very, very happy with shooting 5-under par, no bogeys on this very long, moist, hard golf course. I knew this week was going to be a challenge because of the length, and just playing the practice rounds, there's a couple of new tees since we were last here and probably wasn't expecting all of them in these conditions to be at the back, but they were.

It's fine. I knew that going out today. I stuck to my game plan, got off to a quick start, made a couple of quick birdies, which is lovely. Really got into a nice rhythm of hitting some good second shots and giving myself plenty of looks. I rolled the ball lovely today. The greens are perfect, and they're running super quick.

I think more than anything else, I think the heat was a challenge and the humidity. I've got an absolute pounding headache, and I'm going to go and cool down in a minute.

Q. I was going to ask, LIV travels all over the world. We go to certain destinations where we're expecting high heat and humidity like a Singapore. This part of the country, don't always necessarily get that. What kind of test does that add to this venue for the remaining three rounds?

IAN POULTER: It's a real test, especially at 50. I'd rather have been 25 and had some fresh legs on me. Look, I played a few weeks ago at the U.S. Senior Open, and it was a 111 index, and that was a real test. It's been really hot in the UK over the last few weeks since I've been back.

I live in Orlando, so I'm used to sweating and used to the heat, but still you have to conserve energy on days like today and just try and fuel and hydrate as much as possible.

Q. Ian, the last time the league was in the U.S., you tore your meniscus. I'm just wondering if we can get an update on how it feels. It doesn't seem to be impacting you. You're obviously in great form. Do you have an exact date for surgery?

IAN POULTER: Yeah, Trump Virginia hopped up a step and obviously tore my meniscus. I played some great golf since. So I saw the surgeon a few weeks ago, about five weeks ago in fact, and he sort of -- he's read the scans and said, look, he could operate. There's no guarantee I'm going to be pain free within five months. He said could put half a new knee in because I'm wearing on both sides of the insides on the medial side.

He said, look, I don't want to touch it. You're playing good golf. You just can't be silly. Just don't do some of the things that you might want to do, which is go and play paddle tennis with my friends and family and go skiing and stuff like that. So it's -- look, I'm going to need to get my family kicks in another way, but I've got to save these legs as long as possible before the inevitable happens.

Q. And the first time we came to Bedminster, obviously Majesticks player won. Do you think there's kind of a bit of special Magic here with you guys and maybe you can recreate that this week?

IAN POULTER: I do hope so. I hope there's a lovely little bit of mojo going on at this place. It would be great for us to have one of the boys and obviously me have a win. That would be amazing. It's great to play a golf course like this laid out in as perfect a condition as it is. It's going to be a great test, and obviously I'm hoping Majesticks can be on the board come Sunday.

Q. You mentioned on TV that the family was here. How much do you get motivated, if any, when your son is watching you? Do you kind of feel that you want to kind of try to impress him this week?

IAN POULTER: I try not to think about that, but you know what, look, he's on an amazing trajectory: Top 10 in the world, playing great golf, plays golf courses that are exceptional. So he doesn't come and watch me that often.

I kind of had to put a round in today and just show him that Dad's not done yet. It's great. I love having the family come out and watch, and it inspires me to keep playing well.

Q. How do you and the team try to stay focused on your golf games on a week like this when there's quite a bit of non-golf stuff happening off the golf course?

IAN POULTER: To be honest, it's pretty easy. We've had a lot going on for five years. This is a walk in the park, I've got to be honest.

Q. What was your reaction to yesterday's announcement from LIV about a new investor being secured for 2027?

IAN POULTER: Look, it's amazing news. Two weeks ago we didn't have it there. Right now it's right there in place. I think it's exceptional someone believes in the product. There's going to be a lot of options for a lot of guys to have it go forward.

It's extremely exciting, and the hours that people have worked to find that funding, I respect them for all those hours that they've been trying. It's amazing news.

Q. I know you're in a little bit of a different position with potential Senior Opens and things like that on your schedule, but what do you think your schedule would look like when there's maybe 10 LIV events plus whatever else you want to do?

IAN POULTER: I don't know. Listen, this week is about focusing on playing well to try to win this golf tournament. It's a big week for us. I still need to move forward, and I still need to prove I've still got it. That's exactly where my focus is, and '27 is '27.

Q. The last few starts you've had, fourth at the U.S. Senior Open and 15th in the UK, is there something -- the putter has been really, really good. Is there something that's flipped for you technically or something you've found in your game that's kind of spurred you to this hot streak?

IAN POULTER: I'd love to know. Like we touched on picking up an injury three months ago, and I don't know why that should help, but maybe it's made me look at my golf game a little bit different and take it easy when I need to take it easy.

I'm swinging the golf club as good as I've ever swung it right now. On video it's great. I don't need to video it all that often because every time I put it on, I feel very good. Life's good. I'm loving life right now. Family are in a great place. Luke's in a great place with his golf.

We're pretty fortunate, as playing golf the way we play golf all around the world -- and I've done it for a very long time. Look, I'm just happy playing golf.