REPORT: Mickelson Does 180 On Saudi Officials

Golf reporter and author Alan Shipnuck, who wrote the biography ‘Phil’ on Phil Mickelson, is out with a paperback version of the book that also sheds new light on Mickelson’s first season on the LIV Golf tour.

Most of the controversy was not from the book itself but the comments Mickelson made last February about the Saudi Arabian government being “scary mother-f’ers” that many say put the whole LIV Golf operation in jeopardy.

Shipnuck released an excerpt of a new afterward in the paperback copy that details the fallout from that quote, which Mickelson claims was off the record.

Shipnuck goes into detail on how he was removed from Mickelson’s press conference after his first round in LIV’s inaugural event in London last June. He said that he texted LIV CEO Greg Norman about the removal, and Norman responded that he hadn’t heard about it. Shipnuck then said he saw a photo of Norman standing behind him as security guards questioned him, which he then texted back to Norman.

You cannot make this shit up! I texted Greg Norman before someone sent me this video – I had no idea he was lurking behind me. pic.twitter.com/thgdMlfTAR

— Alan Shipnuck (@AlanShipnuck) June 9, 2022

Shipnuck also said that a LIV Golf member told him that Mickelson’s behavior towards the Saudi hosts at LIV Golf Jeddah last fall was a complete 180 compared to his less-than-flattering comments in February.

The anonymous LIV pro told Shipnuck:

“If you think Phil is a BS artist normally, this was another level. You’ve never seen anyone kiss so much a** with that kind of enthusiasm and skill. He was ‘on’ from the second he got off the plane and never broke character. I’m pretty sure by the end of the week he could have been elected mayor of King Abdullah City, if they actually held elections over there.”

LIV Golf’s fifth event of the season is this weekend in Singapore after a successful debut last week in Australia. After finishing tied for second at the Masters, Mickelson is still looking for his first top 10 of the season on the LIV tour.

Cover Image Via LIV Golf