Phil Mickelson Biographer Alan Shipnuck Removed from LIV Interview Area After Event | Bleacher Report

By Editor On Jun 10, 2022

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Aitor Alcalde/LIV Golf/Getty Images

Alan Shipnuck, the author who wrote Phil Mickelson’s biography, was inexplicably removed from the interview area at the LIV Golf Invitational Series inaugural event at Centurion Golf Club near London.

Shipnuck, who wrote Phil: The Rip-Roaring (and Unauthorized!) Biography of Golf’s Most Colorful Superstar, had been following Mickelson for his opening round. When Mickelson finished playing and went to speak to reporters, Shipnuck was not allowed to join, per Golfweek‘s David Dusek.

Afterward, Shipnuck insinuated on Twitter that LIV Golf Commissioner Greg Norman had something to do with his removal:

Alan Shipnuck @AlanShipnuck

Well, a couple of neckless security dudes just physically removed me from Phil Mickelson’s press conference, saying they were acting on orders from their boss, whom they refused to name. (Greg Norman? MBS? Al Capone?) Never a dull moment up in here.

Shipnuck had reached out to Norman directly and Norman replied that he hadn’t heard about the situation. However, it was later revealed that Norman witnessed the whole thing:

Alan Shipnuck @AlanShipnuck

Oh, mystery solved!? <a href=”https://t.co/6eML5RIQbq”>https://t.co/6eML5RIQbq</a> <a href=”https://t.co/dsr7XycPXo”>pic.twitter.com/dsr7XycPXo</a>

As far as Shipnuck knows, he didn’t break any rules. He told Golfweek in a text message, “I was credentialed and I was standing in the flash area at the start of Phil’s presser when they came for me.”

Shipnuck further explained in an email to Golfweek that he is unsure who made the call to have him removed, but he was simply attempting to do his job.

“I have no ill will toward Phil,” he wrote. “I just wanted to ask him one boring golf question, which is my job. Either he is being way too sensitive or the LIV folks are being too overprotective but, either way, they are overreacting.”

Shipnuck also indicated that officials used intimidation to get him to leave the area.

“The security guards were inappropriately aggressive and physical, considering I was just standing there trying to make sense of the bizarre reasons they were citing for wanting to remove me,” he said.

This isn’t the first incident a media member has had to deal with this week at the event. According to Dusek, Associated Press reporter Rob Harris was cut off and removed from LIV media center. LIV officials reportedly reprimanded Harris for not being “polite.” Harris was eventually allowed to return to the media center.

The second round of the LIV Golf event is set to begin on Friday at 9:30 a.m. ET. For his part, Shipnuck said he will remain undeterred as he continues to try to do his job.

“This whole situation is messy and ridiculous,” Shipnuck said to Golfweek. “If I have another boring golf question for Phil I’ll ask it because I did fly 6,000 miles to be here and I’m not inclined to be silenced by Greg Norman and his goons.”

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