LIV golfers’ results at Masters prove we can still compete with the best, say Ian Poulter and Louis Oosthuizen

SINGAPORE – LIV Golf’s arrival in June 2022 created a divide in the men’s professional game, with critics labelling the Saudi-backed breakaway league as a place for players past their prime.

But European Ryder Cup veteran Ian Poulter and 2010 British Open winner Louis Oosthuizen, who both joined the league in 2022, believe that LIV golfers at the recent Masters – the year’s first Major – have proved otherwise.

Of the 18 players who competed in the Masters, 12 made the cut, with three finishers inside the top 10 as Brooks Koepka and Phil Mickelson came in tied-second while Patrick Reed was joint-fourth.

“There’s been a lot of criticism over the last 10 months of a lot of things, which I think is a shame,” said Poulter, 47, on Tuesday.

“When you look at how well Phil, Brooks and Patrick played around Augusta National, it contradicts a lot of what has been put out there that guys are not fit, they’re not strong enough to play 72 holes or 54 holes.”

The five-time Ryder Cup winner was speaking at a virtual press conference ahead of

the April 28-30 LIV Golf event at Sentosa Golf Club.

Poulter, who has 17 wins worldwide, added: “LIV Golf has extremely strong players, great personalities and people that can compete at the highest level.

“It’s refreshing and it’s good to see, so I’m not really paying an awful lot of attention to the critics any more because I know what product we have. We’ve got a lot of great players that play LIV, and it’s exciting to see them compete against the best players.”

The Singapore event, staged at the award-winning Serapong Course, is the fifth of 14 legs on the LIV season. While the majority are in the United States, other stops include Australia and Saudi Arabia.

All carry purses of US$20 million (S$26.6 million) for the individual competitions and another US$5 million for the team category.

South Africa’s Oosthuizen, 40, added: “Once you’re at an LIV event and you see the work everyone puts in and the level of golf the guys are playing and the effort they put in with the teams, you realise that it’s not just coming here and then just having fun or just teeing it up to get a pay cheque.

“It is a 100 per cent, giving it everything for your team to go out and compete.

“It didn’t matter if we played for the smallest trophy or the biggest one. Whenever you step on the golf course, you’re a competitor, you give it all to try and win the event.”

He and Poulter have competed here previously. Poulter captured the 2009 SMBC Singapore Open title while Oosthuizen lost to Italian Matteo Manassero in a play-off at the 2012 edition.

Poulter’s last individual title came at the 2018 Houston Open, but the Englishman is adamant he can return to winning ways.

The avid Arsenal fan, who has appeared with the club’s crest on his shoes and once wore the team’s shirt during an event, believes success is on the cards for himself and the Gunners.

He said: “I think the odds are pretty good. I feel confident that I’m working hard enough for my game to have some success.

“Apart from Arsenal drawing with West Ham the other night when they had a 2-0 lead, I’m still hopeful we’re going to beat Manchester City coming up.

“Hopefully, I can be successful and Arsenal successful as well. So, fingers crossed that we can do a double act.”