Ian Poulter defends PGA Tour in social media rant
Ian Poulter has defended the PGA Tour following recent comments around the latest positive coronavirus tests.
Ian Poulter said he felt "compelled" to speak out and back the PGA Tour, following an onslaught of negativity after recent positive coronavirus tests caused a handful of players to withdraw from this week's Travelers Championship.
Nick Watney became the first player to test positive during the RBC Heritage last week and after recent testing, five players have withdrawn from the action at TPC River Highlands this week.
Cameron Champ tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday and then Brooks Koepka, his brother Chase Koepka, Graeme McDowell and most recently Webb Simpson have all withdrawn, although none of the latter tested positive.
It didn't take long for negative comments about the PGA Tour to spread like wildfire, but Poulter believes that given the number of tests that have taken place, the small number of positive cases should be classed as a success in his personal opinion.
Poulter uploaded a video to his Instagram page where he went on a rant in the defence of the PGA Tour as he believes they have done "an amazing job." Watch Poulter's video below:
“Have I given someone knuckles in the last three weeks? Yes I have. Should I have done that? Absolutely not,” Poulter said.
“I feel compelled to speak up a little bit about it.
“In 2,757 tests that have been done in the last three weeks, seven people have tested positive.
“With all the stuff that’s been brandished around and spoken about and shots being fired in the direction of the tour, I think the tour has done an amazing job.
“I think the bubble that has been spoken about has been pretty good.
“I’ve been giving players knuckles certainly after the first week and obviously a couple of days into the last week because I had clearly felt a bit too comfortable with what’s happened and how many people hadn’t tested positive.
“So what’s success?
“Is seven cases out of 2,757 success? What would be a successful test rate? Is it zero?
“Nobody can honestly in their wildest dreams imagine that nobody would test positive.
“I feel I need to speak up about it it has been frustrating me all day.
“I think everyone is doing an amazing job I really do. People that aren’t in and around it and see all the tests that are happened and all the protocols in place.
“Yes they can be tweaked, yes we can be more on guard.
“To get us to where we are today, to be able to come out and play golf and be in the position today to give a product to the outside world and sports fans. For us as an organisation to be able to come out and play golf and seven guys have tested positive out of all those tests, in my opinion that’s a success.”
Poulter's video was supported by thousands, with his fellow professionals commenting and agreeing with the Englishman, including Justin Rose and Rickie Fowler.
The Ryder Cup veteran has played in both PGA Tour events since it returned after its 91 day absence, finishing T29 in the Charles Schwab Challenge and improving that finish with a T14 at the RBC Heritage.
