Rory McIlroy emerges as Ian Poulter's next target after Ryder Cup birthday snub

Ian Poulter jokingly took a subtle dig at Rory McIlroy by suggesting he wasn't strong enough to rip his shirt after footage showed the Englishman having a temper tantrum in the upcoming Netflix documentary. 

It goes without saying that 2022 marked quite simply an astonishing year in professional golf after the emergence of LIV Golf and the PGA Tour's response which has - in many ways - been led by McIlroy. 

Related: Ian Poulter labels DP World Tour chief "Petty Pelley"

McIlroy made a surprise appearance in the teaser trailer for Full Swing which will be available to stream on 15 February. 

What caught the eye of some golf fans was one player throwing a hissy fit. 

It transpired that player was Poulter. It's hard to make out, but it looks as though Poulter launches some alignment sticks in the locker room as his caddie watches on. 

One user on Twitter - Sam Harrop - wasn't sure who the figure was, so asked the Internet for help. 

Poulter saw the interaction then wrote: 

Poulter is clearly referencing McIlroy ripping his shirt after blowing his lead at the 2021 DP World Tour Championship. 

McIlroy was looking good to claim another win at the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates but suffered one hell of an unlucky break at No. 15 when his approach smashed the pin and eventually settled in the bunker, leading to a bogey. 

The Northern Irishman then made two more bogeys in his final three holes as Collin Morikawa emerged victorious. 

McIlroy was pictured with his Nike shirt ripped. He later grew frustrated at constantly being questioned about it.

He said of his anger:

(Photo credit: @TOURMISS / Twitter)

Both McIlroy and Poulter have found themselves on opposite sides of golf's civil war in 2022. 

Poulter joined LIV Golf last June and has been at loggerheads with the DP World Tour ever since, even taking legal action. 

He said he felt as though he was being "treated differently" by the circuit. 

McIlroy claimed he felt "betrayed" as Ryder Cup Europe stalwarts such as Poulter, Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia joined the breakaway tour to compete in tournaments with mind-boggling prize purses for astronomical signing-on fees.  

Next page: Nine players who changed their mind about LIV Golf