This weekend, LIV Golf star Ian Poulter found his way back into team golf—as a proud father. On Sunday night, the five-time Ryder Cup winner grabbed the microphone at the Lahinch bar, declared an open bar on him, and led the crowd in loud chants celebrating his son, Luke, and the winning squad. Luke had helped Team Great Britain & Ireland (GB&I) make a historic comeback and defeat the United States 13.5 to 12.5.
“Ole in the 19th! I’ve just got one thing to say to you all. Ole!” shouted Ian Poulter, leading the entire winning team in the famous “Ole, Ole, Ole” chant, also reliving a moment from 2012.
GB&I were 9.5-6.5 behind the U.S. going into Sunday’s singles after a tough morning session. But Luke Poulter and his Great Britain and Ireland teammates fought back strongly and turned the match around. GB&I won the Walker Cup for the first time since 2015. Luke also played an important role, beating Ethan Fang 3&1 in the singles to help his team complete the comeback.
The “Ole, ole, ole” chant moment took fans back about 15 years, when Ian Poulter’s incredible singles performance helped Team Europe complete the famous “Miracle of Medinah” comeback against Team USA, making traveling European fans chant, “Ole, ole, ole”. It remains one of the most memorable Ryder Cup performances of the past 20 years. It was also the last U.S. home-soil Ryder Cup loss until GB&I won at Lahinch (in Ireland) this weekend.
But his move to LIV Golf three years ago ended his chances of playing in the Ryder Cup again. Ian Poulter has spoken openly about this, saying his playing days in the Ryder Cup are over because of his age and the fallout from joining the breakaway LIV Golf.
But the experience became an important part of Ian Poulter’s career. This year, he used those memories when he spoke to the Walker Cup team during their preparations at Cypress Point.
Luke Poulter took his father’s advice seriously. He said that while his father never played in a Walker Cup, his Ryder Cup experience was equally demanding. Luke said it was amazing to see his father’s passion and hear what the Ryder Cup meant to him. He also added that it inspired him to follow in his father’s footsteps.
Tyler Weaver, Luke’s teammate, felt the same way. He said talking to Ian Poulter about his Ryder Cup experiences was very important for the team. Niall Shiels Donegan also remembered a dinner with Ian Poulter as a special moment. Poulter’s advice seemed to help the team at Lahinch.
For Ian Poulter, watching his son and the team celebrate was an emotional moment. He said that as a father and a golf fan, he felt for all the players. He had experienced the pressure of team golf himself, so seeing the young players enjoy the victory meant a lot to him.
Ian Poulter also praised captain Dean Robertson for creating a strong team atmosphere. He said the team had a special energy and showed that spirit on the course. After a tough morning due to challenging conditions, seeing the team put points on the board during the singles and finish the comeback was amazing for him.
Ian Poulter had once made the Ryder Cup famous with his passion and performances at Medinah. Now, he is experiencing that same team spirit through his son. He may still not be able to play in the Ryder Cup himself, but celebrating with Luke and the GB&I team at Lahinch gave him a small taste of that feeling again.