Ryder Cup 2020: Ian Poulter would play in event even if fans were not allowed at Whistling Straits

Opinions are divided on whether the Ryder Cup could and should go ahead as planned in September given the likelihood that fans won't be allowed on the course.

Rory McIlroy has led the voices calling for the Ryder Cup to be postponed if fans will not be there, while Team Europe captain Padraig Harrington feels the event may have to go ahead even if it is staged behind closed doors.

Poulter has been the driving force behind Europe for years, and although he is one of the players who feeds off the crowd the most, he'd still be prepared to play the event without fans.

"I want to make that team and if I do, and we have to play it behind closed doors, I'm going to embrace it 100 per cent," Poulter told Sky Sports News.

"It will be good for TV. It won't be good from a players' standpoint, there won't be as much fun, because you won't be able to feed off the energy of the fans.

"We would love to see a Ryder Cup with fans. We feed as a team, and we always have, off the fans. So if you take them away it's going to be an extremely different feeling.

"I'd love to see the world be in a better place by September, and for one of these amazing companies to find a vaccine which would turn this thing on its head very, very quickly. It's not looking likely, but miracles do happen."

Poulter also told Sky Sports News of his desire to be Ryder Cup captain, with the 44-year-old targeting an away fixture, and arguably the toughest one possible, for his turn to step up to the plate.

There's no doubt Poulter will be captain one day, and maybe his own target of the 2024 event, taking place at Bethpage in New York in front of the rowdiest fans in the USA is a natural fit for Europe's go-to man.

"If they decided (to appoint Poulter) for 2024 at Bethpage in New York, that would be quite enjoyable. I would be honoured to do it, and if I could do it on away soil and bring that trophy back to Europe that would be a pretty big feather in my cap," Poulter added.

"I would hope we could have an enjoyable week there. I know it's obviously going to be loud and raucous, but I'm hoping I could have a great respect level from them because certainly as a team we'd have respect and would embrace the fans that week."

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