“I was like, F you, basically" – What did Ian Poulter say about Kevin Na after defeating him at LIV Golf Miami?

Ian Poulter had a good weekend. The golfer defeated Kevin Na in his singles match on Day One of the LIV Golf Team Championship in Miami and was ecstatic about it. The duo were involved in a bit of a tense exchange earlier in the week and Poulter had the last laugh.

Poulter got into a slight feud with Na during a pre-tournament press conference. Na, who is no stranger to controversy, was probably attempting banter when he joked about Lee Westwood's age. However, Ian Poulter, the Majestick captain, chimed in to take a couple of jabs at Na for his slow play. This seemingly created a rivalry over the weekend.

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Ian Poulter comments on faceoff with Kevin Na

Ian Poulter’s comments on Kevin Na came at the same press conference in which the Englishman spoke about Rory McIlroy's ’betrayal' comments. One can see why he would be in a bad mood by then. However, the situation escalated when he came on to face Na on day one of the Team Championship.

Poulter, who showcased a stellar performance, eventually saw off Na 4 & 2. Following the win, the Englishman came out to make a few comments on the same. The golfer stated that he was determined to defeat the American once he “drew first blood.”

Speaking after his win, Ian Poulter said:

"I didn't like it. He drew first blood and he walked it in. So I was like, 'F you', basically. I'm gonna make this really hard for him today… I played great, [I had] no bogeys, which on this golf course is always going to be tough. [I] rolled in a few putts as well and it was head down get focused.”

He added:

"I didn't want to be down in the match, I was down early doors and obviously I turned it around pretty quickly and stayed in front."

The golfer went on to state that he ‘didn’t care’ on who he faced after defeating Na.

Poulter further said:

"I don't care [and] the reason I don't care is I'm going to knock them down one by one. It's the only way in match play. It gets me fired up pretty good and I love this format. Match play is just so sweet. You're out there, you're on your own, you're focused [and] you're super aggressive to targets… Look, we've got strong teams left in this and it's not going to be easy. But that's okay. No match is easy."

It is pertinent to note that Poulter and his team crashed out of the event in the semi-finals. The golfer bagged $750,000 as a prize for reaching the semis. Meanwhile, Na and his teammates settled for a $250,000 prize check after getting eliminated in the quarterfinals.

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Ian Poulter’s reply to Rory McIlroy's 'betrayal' comment

Last week, PGA Tour star Rory McIlroy came out to claim that he felt "betrayed" by his Ryder Cup teammates who joined LIV Golf. This included Ian Poulter. McIlroy said that his bonds with the former teammates was broken due to their actions.

Following this, Poulter came out to slam the comments made by the Irishman. The English golfer took offense at the comment and questioned its legitimacy. The golfer said that he was fully committed to the Ryder Cup.

Speaking at the press conference in Miami, Poulter said:

“A betrayal? We can still qualify for the team as far as I'm aware. Unless we've been told we can't qualify, then I'm still ready to play as much as I possibly can and try and make that team.

"My commitment to the Ryder Cup I think goes before me. I don't think that should ever come in question. I've always wanted to play Ryder Cups and have played with as much passion as anyone else that I've ever seen play a Ryder Cup.”

The golfer stated that he didn't know why such a comment was made on him and other European golfers.