So, the first two rounds of the 2025 PLAYERS Championship are done, and the results so far have been unexpected. Justin Thomas managed to surge from well outside the cutline on Thursday to comfortably inside it by Friday afternoon, others weren’t as fortunate.
Viktor Hovland, who’s had a solid track record at TPC Sawgrass, struggled to find his form this year. The former FedEx Cup champion was in last place after an 8-over 80 on Thursday, and despite a few solid shots on Friday, he couldn’t recover in time. This marks another early exit for him, missing the cut for the second consecutive year. Max Homa, a fan favorite, couldn’t seem to get anything going either.
He struggled from the start, carding a double bogey on the par-5 9th. His missed cut was his first at The PLAYERS since 2021, adding to his growing frustration this season. Shockingly, the world #5 Ludvig Åberg, fresh off his Genesis Invitational victory, was another high-profile player who wouldn’t make it to the weekend. He recorded five double bogeys or worse, with his final blow coming on the par-5 16th. Other big names also missed the cut.
Hideki Matsuyama, having shot 74 and 70, Wyndham Clark (who withdrew due to a neck injury), Maverick McNealy, former U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick, Karl Vilips, Tony Finau, Sam Burns, Brian Harman, and Adam Scott are also missing out on the weekend action. While these PGA Tour stars have no chance for redemption during this weekend, it is different in the case of LIV Golf. After all, we all know the no-cut rule of the 54-hole format.
So, even if a player performs terribly in the opening round, they still have a scope to fare well in the next two rounds. Take Ian Poulter for example, who is currently playing at the LIV Golf Singapore. He carded a 5-over on Friday, and is currently at the bottom 3 on the leaderboard, tied for the 51 position. But he is still hopeful to make things better through the weekend. Taking a dig at the PGA Tour about this, the LIV Golf veteran wrote on his official Instagram story, “Played like ship today.. funny old game at times. Leaves you scratching your head.” He then shared the 7-word good news LIV golfers have over the PGA Tour pros, “We have a weekend to make amends.” Where is the lie though? There isn’t!
This is not the first time Ian Poulter took the opportunity to make a sneaky comment on the PGA Tour. There have been several instances before.
LIV Golf veteran takes a snub at the PGA Tour’s dropping viewership rates
Ian Poulter took a playful jab at his rivals over on the PGA Tour amidst the troubling decline in TV ratings. The drop in viewership has been noticeable throughout the 2024 season, with some of the biggest events seeing significant dips.
The Waste Management Open in February, for example, saw TV ratings for the final round drop by 30%. The Arnold Palmer Invitational a month later wasn’t much better, with a 15% decrease. Even the PLAYERS Championship suffered, with TV figures falling by 10%. Perhaps most surprisingly, the Masters Tournament in Augusta also experienced a drop, with a 20% decline in viewership during Sunday’s final round, where Scottie Scheffler claimed his second green jacket. This decline is a growing concern for the future of professional golf.
In the wake of these struggles, Ian Poulter couldn’t resist a cheeky dig. The whole thing started when his former DP World Tour colleague, Pablo Larazabal, referred to the PGA Tour’s official X account, calling RBC Heritage’s J.T. Poston “The Postman,” a nickname that’s closely tied to Poulter. Larazabal posted: “There is only one Postman, right @IanJamesPoulter?” Poulter, always ready with a witty response, replied: “Yeah, it’s alright Pablo… It’s not worth losing energy over. If it helps their ratings, then they can borrow it for now.”
Poulter’s sense of humor remains intact. Who do you think will win the $25M worth PLAYERS? Who are your picks for LIV Golf Singapore? Share in the comments below.
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