Ian Poulter 2023: Net worth, career and car collection

Over the past decades, there have been many international stars who have played on the PGA Tour. The Englishman, Ian Poulter, too, is one of them. Having spent 18 years playing on the PGA Tour and well over two decades playing on the European Tour, the 47-year-old has proven himself to be quite a skilled golfer. And his jump to LIV Golf last year only added to his fame! Dive deeper with us into details about the British golf star.

Ian Poulter: Net worth in 2023

Ever since turning pro in 1996, Poulter has gone on to amass a lot of wealth. From huge course winnings to money pouring in from his partnerships with sponsors, the Englishman has certainly grown financially over the years. In fact, presently, he is among the top 20 wealthiest golfers in the world with his $60 million valuation as per Celebrity Net Worth.

Poulter’s net worth has seen a significant bump in recent years. Just 5 years ago, it was estimated to be between $40 million and $45 million. Clearly, monetarily, things have been good for the golf pro of late. And that certainly can be credited to his move to LIV Golf last summer.

His huge career earnings over the years are also big contributors to Poulter’s whopping net worth. On the PGA Tour alone, he made $28,209,697 from the 321 events he competed in since turning pro. And in just one year at LIV, he’s gone on to add even more to his on-course earnings. Having played in just a handful of events on the breakaway tour, the pro has already won $3,684,333!

Ian Poulter: PGA contract in 2023 and career update

Last summer, Ian was part of the small cohort of golf pros who left the PGA Tour and defected over to LIV Golf. One of his biggest reasons to jump ship was the money the Saudi-backed league offered. Besides his multi-million-dollar contract, they also guaranteed a payout in every event, and that seemed like too good an offer for the Britisher to turn down.

Since his switch in leagues, Poulter hasn’t seen a lot of success in the LIV league. He ranked 29th out of the 68-player roster of the new series last year in the overall rankings. But despite that, he made well over $3 million. He’s still looking for his first top-10 individual finish, although his team has already been placed three times in the top three out of ten events.

Poulter's choice to jump ship also saw him banned from the PGA Tour indefinitely. Upon leaving the Tour, he suffered the same suspension as the rest of the defectors: a permanent ban from all Tour events. Despite that, the LIV golfers are now allowed to compete in the majors as long as they qualify for its field.

Moreover, the players who were part of the European Tour were allowed to compete in its events, but a recent ruling regarding the matter has not left the decision up to the DP World Tour authorities, so Poulter’s run there too may just be over.

Poulter's early life and family background

Poulter was born on January 10, 1976, in Hitchin, England, to Terry and Theresa Poulter. He was brought up in England, and he chose to follow golf early on. In fact, his father was a fairly good golfer, and had a single-digit handicap. His brother, Danny Poulter, also happens to be a golf pro. It's safe to say the game was in his genes!

When the LIV Golf star turned four, his father gifted him a cut-down 3-wood, which was his first introduction to the sport. Ever since then, it’s all he could think about, and he chose to make a career out of it.

In 1995, Poulter's life changed drastically. Not only did he become a professional golfer that year, but he also met the love of his life, Katie. Back then, she was a nurse, and the two immediately hit it off. Fast forward 12 years, and the two tied the knot in 2017.

Ian and Katie have four children together: Aimee-Leigh, Luke, Lily-Mai, and Joshua. His youngest, Joshua, is now 10 years old and was born in 2012. Both Ian and Katie have done their best throughout the golf pro's career to shield their children from the light of the media, and have been quite successful in doing so.

Despite that, one thing was clear. Poulter was a family man through and through. Amid his busy touring schedule, he still always found ways to spend time at home with his five favorite people, earning himself the title of ‘the family man.’

Ian Poulter's early golf career

After discovering his interest in the sport at a very young age, his love for it only grew over time. It wasn’t long before he decided to become a professional golfer! Chasing his dream, Poulter went on to attend college at Barclay School, where he continued to practice and play the sport competitively.

But things didn’t always come easily for him. In the beginning, he was unable to secure a place as a pro at any private club; hence, he joined the Chesfield Downs Golf Club as an assistant pro and a golf shop manager of all things to stay close to the sport.

Moving on from here, Poulter joined Leighton Buzzard Golf Club as an assistant pro and began teaching the children there for a pound for each lesson. Eventually, the Britisher went on and kicked off his career in the professional golf world, where he partnered up with the world's most famous swing coach, David Leadbetter.

Poulter's time in training and his dedication undoubtedly paid off, especially in international events like the Ryder Cup. He earned himself quite a huge reputation showcasing his skill at the biennial event, and to date is best known for helping the international side secure multiple wins at the Ryder Cup.

Ian Poulter: PGA golf career

Despite turning pro in 1995, it wasn’t until over a decade later, in 2005, that he earned himself a PGA Tour card and began competing on both the European as well as the PGA Tour. He played on the PGA Tour for nearly two decades and did quite well for himself, securing three wins and 52 top-10 finishes over the years.

His time on the Tour was more than fruitful, and he earned over $28 million in his career there. Moreover, two of his three wins were World Golf Championships, which he won in 2010 and 2012.

In June of 2022, Poulter joined a number of other Tour pros as they jumped ship and joined the new Saudi-backed series. The contract of up to $30 million that they offered the Englishman was definitely one he wasn’t keen on turning down, and he eventually accepted it and began playing in the new league.

Of course, that decision came with controversies of its own. From hate from the PGA Tour loyalists who suggested that he had turned his back on what had earned him his reputation in golf, like the Ryder Cup, to the public labeling him as a sell-out, Poulter has had to deal with the scrutiny of his decision to date.

Ian Poulter: LIV Golf career and controversy

Last year, Poulter was one of the first few golfers to jump ship. Doing so, driven by the money (an estimated $30 million contract and guaranteed pay on every event), the Englishman took part in all of their 7 events. Although he didn’t perform or place too greatly within these events, he still walked away with a whopping $3.7 million.

The three-time PGA Tour winner hasn’t had as much luck this year in the new league either. Having competed in its three events so far, the highest finish he’s secured is 12th place. And in the Saudi-backed series’ most recent event, he crashed even further, placing 44th in the individual rankings.

He is currently not suffering from any serious injuries, and hence his inconsistent performance is hopefully nothing but a rough patch. Despite these disappointing finishes, this year just from the three events he’s already made $681,000. Perhaps we will see him win a lot more if his form does pick up soon!

Ever since his defection nearly a year ago, all at LIV Golf, including Poulter, have been at war with the Tour. From being upset about players’ comments about him, to taking subtle digs at the other side for copying the team format of LIV, the Englishman is certainly quite disgruntled about the chasm between them.

But the feeling is mutual, and the Tour side has also lashed out often at Poulter. While many hope for coexistence between the two sides, only time will tell if that will truly be possible.

Ian Poulter’s craze for cars and his expensive car collection

Besides being known for his incredible Ryder Cup performances, Poulter also has another thing he’s famous for in the golf world: collecting cars. An avid car enthusiast and a huge Ferrari fan, the Englishman has one of the most exquisite sports car collections in the golf world.

Although the exact number of cars he owns is not yet known, as per carcollectorsclub.com, his entire collection is estimated to be worth $25 million—nearly as much as he’s earned on the Tour in the last two decades! From Ferraris to Ford GTs, Poulter seems to have any and every gorgeous car ever made. His most prized possession is, of course, his 1962 California Ferrari Spider, which is worth $11 million.

Poulter is arguably one of the biggest Ferrari fans out there. He owns a number of Italian beasts, 14 in total, which include a 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO, a Ferrari F40, a Ferrari F50, a 2022 Enzo Ferrari, and two LaFerraris, which alone are worth about $2 million.

His fascination with fast cars doesn’t just stop there! Poulter is also a huge Formula 1 racing fan. "I love cars, I love Formula 1, I love everything about motorsport," he told Sky Sports back in 2020. Besides religiously following the F1 Tours, the Englishman once also got to live out his dream. He competed in the first official Formula 1 Esports Virtual Grand Prix as part of the Renault DP World F1 Team back in 2020.