‘CANNOT MAKE THIS S—- UP!’; GREG NORMAN APPROACHED BY REPORTER REMOVED FROM PHIL MICKELSON LIV GOLF PRESS CONFERENCE.
Norman initially told Shipnuck he had not heard of the incident but a video would later dispute that.
Alan Shipnuck, the author of an unauthorized Phil Mickelson biography who was removed from a press conference at the LIV Golf Invitational on Thursday, confronted Greg Norman over the incident after a video appeared to show him watching as security escorted Shipnuck out.
Shipnuck took to Twitter on Thursday to reveal that security guards had “physically” removed him from a post-round press conference featuring Mickelson on orders “from their boss.”
The author questioned who ordered his removal and seemingly pointed to LIV Golf Investments CEO Greg Norman as a possibility.
Shipnuck shared a screenshot shortly after of him asking Norman over text if he was aware that he was “muscled out,” to which Norman replied: “Did not hear. Thanks for letting me know.”
But after video evidence appeared, Shipnuck sent Norman a followup text of a screenshot showing him standing directly behind him as he was approached by security.
“You cannot make this s— up! I texted Greg Norman before someone sent me this video – I had no idea he was lurking behind me,” Shipnuck said in a tweet.
Mickelson has been one of the biggest names to join LIV Golf in the months leading up to its first event in London. He created a firestorm in February when his comments to Shipnuck for the book, “Phil: The Rip-Roaring (and Unauthorized!) Biography of Golf’s Most Colorful Superstar,” were published in excerpts to the Fire Pit Collective.
His remarks were seen as excusing Saudi Arabia’s involvement in the murder of Washington Post reporter Jamal Khashoggi. LIV Golf is backed by Saudi Arabia’s financial arm.
The PGA Tour revealed Thursday that the 17 members who announced they would be participating in the rival golf league would be suspended. Top golfers like Dustin Johnson and Kevin Na had already announced their resignation prior to the Tour’s announcement.
