Ian Poulter: Ryder Cup veteran retains PGA Tour card

Poulter was once as high as fifth in the world rankings

England's Ian Poulter will retain his PGA Tour card for the rest of this season after a change to the rules.

The Ryder Cup veteran, 41, was set to lose his playing rights after he failed to earn the required points or prize money in the 10 events covered by his medical exemption after a foot injury.

However, the PGA Tour have decided that their rules "unintentionally made it more difficult" for injured players.

"It's a relief I can plan my schedule for the rest of 2017," Poulter said.

"Obviously I've got work to do but I'm in a very different situation today than I was yesterday."

Poulter is playing in this week's revamped New Orleans Classic team event as the invited partner of Geoff Ogilvy, who qualified for the tournament.

The duo are nine shots back after the opening three rounds, but should they win on Sunday, both will receive a two-year Tour exemption.

World number 195 Poulter had previously said he thought his struggles had been "slightly over-dramatised".

But the 2008 Open runner-up admitted that "being in kind of no-man's-land, not knowing whether you're going to play golf, is very tough".

Brian Gay of the United States is the other player to have benefited from the change.