An assistant athletic director has been sacked from his role at a college in Florida after abusing golfer Ian Poulter on Twitter and at a tournament earlier this month.

JJ Downum worked at Florida Southern when he travelled to the Valspar Championship in Palm Harbor last week. Downum admitted on Twitter that he saw Poulter during one of the English golfer's rounds and shouted at him to hit a tee-shot into the water.

I'm sure @FSC_Athletics & @FscSports are really proud of your professionalism. I wish you the very best Ian pic.twitter.com/jqFa3WVuDC

— Ian Poulter (@IanJamesPoulter) March 12, 2016

Poulter tried to have the men removed, but they were able to stay at the course and even tweeted Poulter about how "we're still here swimming circles in your brain". 

While sports stars regularly have to put up with abuse from drunken fans, Downum and his friend made the crucial error of tweeting their exploits. 

Florida Southern got wind of Downum's actions and confirmed earlier this week that he had lost his job.  "He's no longer employed at the institution," Pete Meyer, Florida Southern's director of athletics and dean of wellness told The Ledger.

We are pretty sure Downum will be staying off Twitter for a while.