Ian Poulter narrowly avoided disaster at LIV Golf UK on Thursday as a loose drive from Bryson DeChambeau nearly hit him in the head. The 50-year-old veteran was left livid with his rival as he prepared to take his own shot on the fairway, but no "fore" shout came from the American.
DeChambeau watched on as the Englishman turned around, raging, after the ball landed around a metre from him. After the crowd reacted in shock when Poulter narrowly avoided a nasty injury, the Englishman gave a sarcastic shout of "fore" in the direction of DeChambeau. The ironic shout was in reference to the warning golfers usually make when a ball is set to land near an opponent.
DeChambeau opted to slap his thigh in frustration at the JCB Golf and Country Club in Rocester. However, it appeared no one had told the American his effort was heading for an opponent.
Poulter and commentators react
A calmer Poulter shared that view when speaking about the incident after the day's play. "It wasn't his fault at all," he told TNT Sports. "It just grazed the ear, I think on the way past, it was very close. It wouldn't have been good, it would have hurt - a lot."
Poulter described the close call as alarming. "That was a shock to the system, the heart rate went up quite a bit," Poulter said. "When you can hear that ball cutting through the air as it passes your ear."
Commentators on the channel also defended DeChambeau after the near miss. "He didn't know, no one told him," commentators said. "You could tell Bryson was very sorry. No one told him. This is no one's fault here."
