“I don’t need to answer that” – When Ian Poulter sounded off on the media for asking LIV Golfers a ‘hypothetical question’

Ian Poulter and other LIV golfers are returning to the UK for the third straight year. A couple of years ago, the league made its debut in London, and the players were surrounded by some uncomfortable questions regarding the league.

The start of the Saudi-backed circuit was controversial, as the players were accused of taking 'blood money.' They were also questioned about human rights violations by the Saudi Kingdom.

Two years ago, during the pre-event press conference of LIV Golf London, the league's first-ever event, Poulter and his teammates, including Lee Westwood, were put in an uncomfortable position by the journalists' questions. Reporter Neil McLeman asked them if they would play in a tournament hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Ian Poulter was initially taken aback by the question but then refused to comment on mere speculation. McLeman pushed him further, asking if he would play if the money was good.

"I don't need to answer that question," Poulter replied after a bit of awkward silence in the room.

McLeman then turned towards Westwood and asked if he would have played in South Africa during the apartheid era.

"You're just asking us to answer hypothetical questions now. We can't answer a question on that," Westwood responded.

When will Ian Poulter tee off at the LIV Golf UK, Round 1?

Ian Poulter is grouped with Sam Horsfield and Lee Westwood for the first round of LIV Golf UK. The trio will tee off at 2:15 pm BST on Friday, July 26.

Here are all the groupings for LIV Golf UK, Round 1:

Hole 1: Bryson DeChambeau, Paul Casey, and Anirban Lahiri
Hole 2: Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton, and Caleb Surratt
Hole 3: Cameron Smith, Matt Leishman, and Lucas Herbert
Hole 4: Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, and Pat Perez
Hole 5: Brooks Koepka, Talor Gooch, and Graeme McDowell
Hole 6: Louis Ooathuizen, Dean Burmester, and Charl Schwartzel
Hole 7: Japan Kokrak, Hudson Swafford, and Scott Vincent
Hole 8: Thomas Pieters, Anthony Kim, and Eugenio Chacarra
Hole 9: Harold Varner III, Branden Grace, and Kalle Samooja
Hole 10: Andy Ogletree, Kevin Vincent, and Matt Jones
Hole 11: John Catlin, Henrik Stenson, and Matt Pereira
Hole 12: Bubba Watson, Matthew Wolff, and Peter Uihlein
Hole 13: Martin Kaymer, Andrian Meronk, and Richard Bland
Hole 14: Kevin Na, Danny Lee, and Jinichiro Kozuma
Hole 15: Phil Mickelson, Brendan Steele, and Cameron Tringale
Hole 16: Ian Poulter, Sam Horsfield, and Lee Westwood
Hole 17: Sergio Garcia, Abraham Ancer, and David Puig
Hole 18: Joaquin Neimenn, Carlos Ortiz, and Sebastian Munoz