Nobody could ever accuse Ian James Poulter as being a shy, retiring type. So, when US television analyst Brandel Chamblee took a pot shot at the Englishman for what he perceived to be Poulter's less than convincing bid to chase down the brilliant young Korean Si Woo Kim in the final round of The Players, it made for a fascinating spat on Twitter.
This time, Poulter certainly couldn’t be accused of backing down in any shape or form.
For a player who looked as if he would have no card on the PGA Tour just a month ago, there was much to admire (or at least that’s how it seemed to me) about how Poulter rolled up his sleeves on getting the reprieve that enabled him to get into The Players and then getting into contention.
But, from Chamblee’s point of view, there was no mercy shown or given.
Speaking on the Golf Channel in his role as analyst, the American – a one-time winner on the PGA Tour and without even a career top-10 in any of the Majors – spoke down on Poulter. “He clearly did not play to win,” pontificated Chamblee, before expanding of the player’s lay-up on the Par 5 16th:
"Money matters, world ranking points matter, and I get it . . . I have hit that shot. I have done that. I have done exactly what Ian Poulter did. No one is ever going to call me a good player. We reserve the right to call great players and great shots. This is why we don't laud (Poulter's shot). We laud the shot David Duval hit, the shots that Tiger Woods hit. That's why we laud those, that's why we stand up and go 'Well done, great shot'. (Poulter's shot), was not that."
It didn’t take long for Poulter to shoot back at Chamblee where, in the land of Twitter, the European Ryder Cup and two-time WGC winner is one of the sharpest protagonists.
“Sorry to disappoint, I can only dream of being as good as Brandel . . . it’s clearly very easy sitting on your arse . . . thanks for the support” responded Poulter.
To which Chamblee blocked Poulter.
Poulter posted another response. “Say no more . . .” with laughing emojis to emphasis the point.
Poulter is not the first player to take on Chamblee in twitterland. Rory McIlroy has had his moments too – invariably getting the last laugh as well – most notably last year when the US analyst felt the Northern Irishman was doing too much weight-lifting as part of his exercise routine, compared it to Tiger Woods, and said it could lead McIlroy down a “destructive path.”
McIlroy’s response was to tweet a video to Chamblee of him lifting weights.
Although given the injury worries which have frustrated McIlroy this season, Chamblee might yet have a comeback . . . even if he was very much put in his place by Poults.
