THE 150TH OPEN

July 16, 2022

Ian Poulter

Mixed Zone

Q. What was the difference between the front and back nine for you, could you just talk us through that a little bit?

IAN POULTER: A difference? It was actually not a lot. Three-putt on 8. Three-putted 11. Drove it in the first bunker on 10. Just a couple of bogeys around the loop, which was really frustrating.

Q. Playing this course, the crowd, what's the most, sort of support-wise, the most fun part of it?

IAN POULTER: To be honest, every hole has been great. We've had, because of the way the golf course shapes itself, they're kind of one side or the other side the whole way out and the whole way back in. You only allow them to come in around the loop, where they can kind of get in and have some food and stand in the stand. But the support's been amazing.

I mean, a lot of fans. I'm not sure of the numbers, but I would think it's almost record numbers.

Q. Felt like you personally were getting a lot of crowd support. Was that something you noticed particularly? It must be quite welcome after people talking about you getting booed on the opening day?

IAN POULTER: Are we still talking about it?

Q. I was walking with you today.

IAN POULTER: Did you hear one bad comment?

Q. No, I heard a lot of good ones. That's why I'm asking.

IAN POULTER: I'm asking you a question, did you hear one bad one?

Q. No.

IAN POULTER: No, okay. So it's amazing how we still talk about one person that's 100 yards down the 1st, where there's conveniently a microphone positioned way down halfway down the stand and some young guy says boo, and it comes over on the TV. And you all assume I'm being booed on the course.

You just walked, Phil Casey walked 17 holes on day one. He's not here, but he was standing here the other day. And the 17 holes he walked, there was not one comment. There was not one boo. If you guys continue to write that there are people and there's negative comments and there's boos, then unfortunately that's not a true reflection of exactly what happened.

So it would be really nice if people like yourself, I don't know your name.

Q. Andy.

IAN POULTER: Andy, would actually write the truth, that we're getting quite a lot of support out there on the golf course because it would just be nice. It would be a fair reflection of actually what's happening, rather than this continual press of let's lead down the path of players being booed who have joined the LIV tour. Let's just say that, right? Fair, respectful, honest journalism would be great because it would be the truth.

Q. Something completely new, then. We're getting ready for the first Women's Open in Muirfield. You played quite well there. Can you tell us a little bit about your memories of that.

IAN POULTER: It was a wonderful Sunday, to be honest. An absolute gem of a links golf course. A true hard, fair test of golf. I remember having a little run on kind of to that front nine, around the turn, on Sunday kind of crawling up the board. I was actually in a nice position the first time I played it in -- when was that, 2004, something like that?

I think I was top 10 after two days. And that wonderful storm hit and took half the field out of play. I think Tiger played. Tiger teed off in front and shot 81. It might have been one of his worst scores. It was atrocious weather for about three hours. And Ernie was one of the guys that actually came through right there to actually play some great golf in that tough condition. So another true hard golf course in stiff wind. It's a proper test.

Q. What do you think about bringing the women to these historical, great golf courses, and how do you see them performing there?

IAN POULTER: I see them performing extremely well. They would play the golf course exactly the same way we would. I'm sure their tees will be positioned accordingly for them to be able to have the same level of test, with cross-bunkers that have to feed it around some of them.

I think it's great. I think it's wonderful they get the opportunity to play certainly the venues that we play on, on a strong links test.

Q. Anything you admire about women's golf that men should try to replicate or imitate?

IAN POULTER: They just hit it too straight. They hit it way straighter than we do. I've got the utmost respect of how well they play their game. Their distance control is exceptional. They've got wonderful touch. So I'm envious of some of them.

Q. Just before you go, clearly you've been fed up with some of the reporting that's been around. We've kind of walked with you a bit and could see that you did get a good reception. Has that kind of mood music sort of altered your experience of this Open, made it a bit different because you played a hell of a lot of --

IAN POULTER: This is my fifth Open at St Andrews. It will be my last Open at St Andrews. I've got my whole family here watching. So I'm here to enjoy myself.

The reception I've had has been remarkable, to be honest. I've enjoyed every part of it. It's been great not to read any rubbish in the press this week, which has been unusual for me to not read it.

Q. So you deliberately --

IAN POULTER: I've deliberately not read it, yeah, but just listening to some of the questioning is quite funny.

No, I've had a frustrating week on the greens. For me making three-putt bogeys from long distances is annoying. As I walk off the golf course every single day, I'm really disappointed with the score I'm on, not taking the opportunities really on the 5s that I should have done as well this week.

And I'm in the end going to walk away from this week unfortunately disappointed with the end result, but nevertheless I'll enjoy tomorrow. My kids will be here to watch. And it will be wonderful.

Q. I shouldn't let you go without a question about the trousers. Is there a name for that tartan?

IAN POULTER: No, there's no name.