Bryson DeChambeau and Ian Poulter got into an altercation on the golf course during the first round of LIV UK.
Poulter was standing on the tee box ready to play when DeChambeau’s tee shot from another hole almost hit him. The ball landed by his feet, causing Poulter to jump out of the way and shout angrily in DeChambeau’s direction.
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After his round, Poulter said that it wasn’t DeChambeau’s fault. The Englishman said that because of the way the golf course is laid out, you cannot see the tee box from where DeChambeau took his shot.
That combined with how long Poulter’s group took to play the hole meant it was simply bad fortune.
But DeChambeau’s old comments on why he doesn’t shout fore might change Poulter’s mind on that.
Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images
What Bryson DeChambeau once said about never shouting fore
DeChambeau has a track record for this type of behavior. He has been known in the past to hit errant shots into the crowd and not shout fore, giving the spectators no warning of the incoming missile flying toward them.
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Speaking on the Rick Shiels Golf Show back in 2022, DeChambeau was asked to explain his history of not shouting fore, and his response didn’t satisfy his critics.
He said, “Most of the time when we hit shots, if we don’t think it’s going to get there, there’s really no reason to say anything, and most guys don’t on tour. You could, because of how far I’m hitting it, every single shot say ‘fore’.”
“People think that I’m not being respectful and that I don’t care about patrons or people. That’s the farthest thing from the case. I’ve hit people before, and it’s been the worst possible feeling in the world, so don’t ever think I don’t care about fans.”
“It happens, it’s a part of the sport, and don’t think for one bit that we don’t feel terrible for it. I hit someone back in 2017 in Louisiana; sometimes it’s impossible to do anything.”
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If Poulter were to go back and listen to this clip, it should infuriate him. When you hit a golf ball, it is your responsibility to ensure that everyone around you is safe from your shot.
Refusing to shout fore when you don’t know where your ball is going is flatly irresponsible, and Poulter saw that first-hand at LIV UK.
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