Ian Poulter has always delivered, which is where his “Postman” nickname comes from. This time, the news was that he is walking away from LIV Golf. He is not signing up for LIV 2.0, and he wanted fans to hear it from him first.

“I wanted everyone to hear it direct from me that I have decided to not move forward with being part of LIV 2.0,” he wrote on Instagram. “Needless to say, it was a tough decision and one I thought about and discussed at length with my family and team.”

His reasons are personal: “Ultimately, the opportunity to spend more time at home with my family, reduce international travel, focus on senior golf and have the opportunity to pursue other interests was something that I felt was right for me at this stage of my life and career.”

At 50, Poulter is now at the right age to focus on senior golf. He played in the U.S. Senior Open this season and wants to spend more time competing in senior events.

His announcement also comes at a difficult time for LIV Golf. Ian Poulter is the second well-known player and team leader to leave in a week, following Louis Oosthuizen. The October 25 deadline for players to sign up for LIV 2.0 is also approaching. The league needs enough players to move forward with a proposed $300 million deal with BC Partners.

Not many players have publicly agreed to stay with LIV Golf. So far, Richard Bland, Cameron Tringale, Brendan Steele and Ben Campbell are among the few who have committed to the new setup. A court has also approved the rejection of contracts for more than a dozen players, including Poulter, allowing them to explore other options.

Poulter’s decision did not come out of nowhere. In August, he said some players would stay while others would leave. At the time, he also admitted that he had not made up his mind about his own future.

His recent moves, however, suggested that he was looking for a way out. He settled his fines with the DP World Tour, reportedly worth more than $1 million, and returned to play at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. It was his first start on the tour in more than three years. With the settlement in place, Poulter is now eligible to rejoin the DP World Tour in 2027.

Poulter does not leave quietly or bitterly. “Clearly, LIV Golf has divided opinion, but to be part of the founding group that took world-class golf around the globe, showcased our great game to a new audience, built a team brand in Majesticks GC, helped innovate tournament formats, and established a leading community impact program in Little Sticks, is something I will be forever proud of.”

Ian Poulter was proud to be part of LIV Golf from the start. He helped lead Majesticks GC and was part of the team that built the league’s team format and community programs. For him, it was not just about winning tournaments. He was also proud of what they had built together.

But Poulter made his name with Europe in the Ryder Cup. He played in seven editions and recorded 15 wins, eight losses and two draws in individual matches. One of his best moments came at the 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah, where he won all four of his matches.

His time with LIV Golf also affected his relationship with the DP World Tour. Poulter said he tried to talk to the tour about becoming Europe’s Ryder Cup captain but received no response. He has won 17 professional titles in his career, including three on the PGA Tour and 12 on the European Tour. Now, Poulter wants to spend more time with his family. After years of travelling around the world to compete, he is looking forward to being there for his sons as they work towards their own golfing goals.

“Having spent so many years travelling the world chasing my own golfing dreams, the opportunity to now spend more time supporting my boys as they chase theirs is something that means a great deal to me,” he wrote.

His son Luke is working towards becoming a professional golfer, while his younger son, Joshua, is still developing his game. Poulter also wants to grow his YouTube channel, The Postman, and play in senior golf events. He may be leaving LIV Golf, but he is not walking away from the sport. As he put it in his message, “We certainly aren’t done yet!”