British LIV Golf star who's pocketed £7.7m since PGA exit now faces rule change nightmare

Ian Poulter is in real danger of losing his spot in LIV Golf following a significant rule change by the rebel circuit. The Ryder Cup legend was lured away from the PGA Tour with an estimated £20million signing fee and has since bagged around £7.7m in prize money.

However, his switch meant hefty fines if he chose to participate in DP World Tour events and maintain eligibility for Ryder Cup qualification. Although LIV has been covering players' fines – a practice set to cease in 2026 – Poulter has resisted paying on principle.

Last year, the 49-year-old told Sports Illustrated: "I personally wouldn't pay because I felt it was unjust at the time to be fined $100,000 a week because it makes no sense to me at all. My stance has never changed.

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"I've played golf all over the world. I was never paying fines when I played outside of Europe on other tours around the world, so my stance is exactly the same as I had three years ago."

However, Poulter might need to rethink his approach as he risks demotion from LIV, which has scrapped the exemption previously afforded to team captains.

Under the new regulations, any golfer finishing the season below the top 48 will forfeit their card for 2026.

Presently, Poulter, who co-captains Majesticks GC, sits at 51st with only two tournaments left to play. In a bid to bolster the tour's reputation and secure a spot in the Official World Golf Rankings, LIV Golf has introduced a new rule that prevents captains from lobbying to retain their position.

This comes after Scott O'Neil took over as LIV chief executive from Greg Norman. Poulter, along with his co-captains and Ryder Cup icons Lee Westwood and Henrik Stenson, is in danger of relegation following a poor season for the Majesticks team. The trio faces a potential battle to stay afloat during the upcoming tournaments in Chicago and Indianapolis.

Westwood, unlike Poulter, seems more amenable to the idea of returning to the DP World Tour if he is relegated. Speaking to The Telegraph last month, Westwood said: "I can go back to the DP World Tour, you know.

"LIV would pay my fines, which are ridiculously about £900,000, and I still have several exemptions to play on that circuit.

"LIV would already have paid my fines if I'd asked, but I didn't do it out of principle. It's a daft amount anyway."

While the return of any of the trio to the European Tour would be controversial, it would also add some star power to the circuit, which some believe has been lacking in recent years.