No one other than Jon Rahm refused to pay the fines imposed by the DP World Tour to play their events. And no one other than the Spaniard was barred from playing in Europe. At first, it was assumed that everyone had cleared their dues to save their cards. But Ian Poulter just confirmed that he still owes the DP World Tour a substantial fee.

In an interview with Paul Higham from Golf Monthly, Poulter confirmed, “I haven’t paid my $1.1m fines for playing the first eight LIV events so even if I was given an invite I couldn’t play.”

So why did the DP World Tour permit the Englishman to participate in their events? Interestingly, that is not the only fact that was revealed during the interview. He also confessed his status in the European league at present.

When asked if he will be playing in the 2026 Alfred Dunhill Links at St. Andrews, Poulter said, “I can’t, as I’m not a member of the DP World Tour.”

Interestingly, it has been a while since Poulter has made any appearances in the DP World Tour. His last event in Europe was the 2023 Hero Dubai Desert Classic. It’s surprising that the English veteran hasn’t tried to participate in any tournaments, as he finished at T6 the last time he played on the Tour.

Even if Poulter might have any desire to play in Europe, he’s unsure if he would be welcomed back. At least that is how he feels.

Ian Poulter is not confident about being welcomed back to the DP World Tour

Having turned 50 in January 2026, Ian Poulter might not want a hectic schedule. That was one of the major reasons many players joined LIV Golf. But even if he wanted to, the Englishman is not confident that the DP World Tour would open the doors for him. And he’s speaking from experience.

He said, “I actually think they don’t want me back. I’ve tried but they haven’t responded. Which is a shame as they do know what the Ryder Cup has meant to me through the years.”

So it’s evident why he wants to play in the DP World Tour still: To be eligible for the Ryder Cup. Poulter also stated that he won’t leave LIV Golf for the DP World Tour. Notably, he is also banned from playing on the PGA Tour Champions. Hence, the chances of his return are slim with the Tour showing no interest in wanting him back.