Four years ago, sitting down with Stephen Curry at the Ryder Cup, Michael Jordan made an admission nobody saw coming. He said that he wasn't afraid of anybody except Ian Poulter, pointing to his competitiveness and fiery eyes.

Now, ahead of his U.S. Senior Open debut at Scioto Country Club, Poulter has addressed those comments.

"Yes, I've seen it," Poulter said during the press conference on Tuesday, referencing Michael Jordan's comments to Curry. "Look, I love MJ, and I get on great with him."

Jordan served as an advisor for Team USA at the 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah. At one point, he tried to test Poulter’s focus on the course. Rather than rattling him, it only sharpened Poulter’s edge.

Paired with Rory McIlroy in Saturday afternoon fourballs against Jason Dufner and Zach Johnson, Poulter birdied the final five holes to spark Team Europe's 14.5–13.5 victory on American soil, a comeback still remembered as the "Miracle at Medinah."

Poulter closed out his own weekend unbeaten, 4-0-0, and outdueled Webb Simpson in Sunday singles.

"It was funny, I spoke to Mark Rolfe in — after 2012, and I said MJ's been messing with me on the golf course, and he was like, really? I mean, he had no idea. I don't think many people really had an idea. Mark said, I'm going to ask him for an interview," Poulter said in the press conference ahead of the 2026 U.S. Senior Open

Michael Jordan later admitted the same thing in his own words.

“I’m not scared of anybody, but Ian Poulter," MJ told Curry in a YouTube video posted by Stephen Curry and Unanimous Media Podcast Network.

"I used to go and watch him all the time. If I’m in any of his matches or walking down, he finds me after he makes a good putt, and it’s like, ‘Man, I didn’t do anything. I like you. I support you.’ I stay away from him when I’m walking. I won’t go watch him.”

Knee Injury Hasn’t Slowed Ian Poulter’s Game

This week's U.S. Senior Open at Scioto marks Poulter's first tournament on the senior circuit, after turning 50 earlier this year and earning his eligibility through his Ryder Cup record.

His path to this week has not been easy either.

Ian Poulter injured his knee during LIV Golf Virginia in May, yet still posted a T-18 finish—his best of the year. An MRI confirmed a meniscus tear, but he continued competing, finishing T-13 at LIV Korea and T-27 in Andalucía.

He admitted the pain bothers him more when walking than swinging. "Pretty much since then I've played some really nice golf, which makes no sense at all," Poulter said during the same press conference.

"Whether that's made me swing it a little smoother, I don't really know."

The 50-year-old added further: "The ball speed hasn't changed, and I've kind of managed that situation with that knee. It's fine to play on. I can walk comfortably. But my game has trended pretty well this season. I've probably played the best I have than any of the previous seasons, even though I'm now 50."

Whatever happens across the next four days, Poulter arrives in Columbus with the same edge that once had Michael Jordan keeping his distance on a golf course.

Read more at Club Golf!

Written by

Md Saife Fida

Edited by

Koushik Biswas