Alan Shipnuck has released an excerpt from his new book – a statement that’s often followed by fireworks.
LIV and Let Die becomes available on October 17 and details the conflict between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.
The bestselling author and writer for the Fire Pit Collective made headlines when releasing an excerpt of his Phil Mickelson biography in February 2022, just as LIV was about to be launched.
Now, Shipnuck has written about the war waged between Jay Monahan and Yasir Al-Rumayyan and the nitty gritty details which has culminated in talks for a peace deal in the form of a framework agreement.
We have picked out the most significant, and arguably shocking, parts of this LIV and Let Die excerpt:
Jay Monahan ignored a letter from Golf Saudi in 2021
Shipnuck wrote that Majed Al-Sorour, the chief executive of Golf Saudi, met with Jack Nicklaus at the Bear’s Club in Florida, having established a home near to the club where some of the PGA Tour’s biggest stars are members.
Al-Sorour then sent a letter to Monahan in April 2021 describing the plan of an “innovative league featuring 12 teams” and his intention to become a partner of the PGA Tour.
The book says Al-Sorour requested a “sit-down” with Monahan, but the tour boss didn’t reply and didn’t show it before his full board of directors.
The letter allegedly didn’t include Al-Sorour’s Golf Saudi title, any contact information or the source of funding. Shipnuck writes that these absent details gave Monahan “just enough wiggle room to blow it off.”
James Hahn, a player and one of four player directors on the PGA Tour Policy Board in 2021, confirmed to Shipnuck that this letter was “never discussed.”
Shipnuck writes that in the autumn of 2021, player director Charley Hoffman questioned why the tour wasn’t having discussions with Golf Saudi in a board meeting to which Monahan replied, “We are at war.”
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Tiger Woods behind Phil Mickelson not being at The Open’s Champions Dinner?
Shipnuck looks back to the 150th Open Championship at St Andrews when Phil Mickelson didn’t attend the Champions Dinner for past Open winners.
The book says that Tiger Woods orchestrated this. One person who attended the dinner told Shipnuck the following:
“He (Woods) talked to a handful of other (past champions) to get their blessing and then went to the R&A and told them, basically, no one wanted Phil there and it would make the night weird and awkward.
“Whose side were they going to take, Tiger’s or Phil’s? That’s an easy choice.”
Brooks Koepka comments in Ireland
Shortly after LIV Golf launched in June 2022, a number of players on its roster went to Ireland to play in the JP McManus Pro-Am at Adare Manor.
Shipnuck writes that a handful of the LIV players were at a party after the event. Brooks Koepka, Pat Perez and his wife, Jason Kokrak and Dustin Johnson and his wife Paulina were present.
Koepka allegedly began an expletive rant about some PGA Tour players that Shipnuck claims referred to Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas.
“F*** all of those country club kids who talk shit about me.You think I give a f*** what they think? You think I care what people say about me?
“I just had three surgeries, and I’m supposed to turn down $130 million? I grew up with nothing. After signing that contract, the first person I called was my mum. We both cried.”
Paul Casey’s explosive quotes at The 150th Open
Paul Casey was one player from the LIV Golf roster to play in The Open at St Andrews where Shipnuck writes he was approached for an interview by Jamie Weir of Sky Sports.
Weir allegedly wanted to ask the Englishman questions about the tournament, followed by one LIV-related question which would ask if that Open Championship could be the last major he plays, as his world ranking could fall while playing with LIV and he could lose exemptions.
“F*** off. Go f*** yourself. What a f***ing shit question. Go f*** yourself. That’s a shitty f***ing question from a s***ty f***ing reporter.”
Casey since told Shipnuck that was a “fairly accurate recounting” of his reply to Weir but claimed Weir “invaded my space, and interjected himself into an environment where he was not invited.”
Patrick Cantlay turned down mammoth LIV Golf offer
Earlier this year, Tiger Woods joined the tour’s Policy Board as a sixth player director. Patrick Cantlay, Peter Malnati, Charley Hoffman, Rory McIlroy and Webb Simpson are the other ones.
According to Shipnuck, Cantlay is known for “driving a hard bargain” in his role as a member of the PGA Tour’s Policy Board.
Shipnuck goes on to write that Cantlay once turned down an offer of $75 million to move to LIV Golf.
Player reactions to Shipnuck’s excerpt
Justin Thomas has given quite the response to Shipnuck’s book excerpt release…
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Brooks Koepka then replied to Thomas’ post on X…
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Max Homa has also weighed in…
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What do you make of these details of the LIV Golf PGA Tour conflict from Alan Shipnuck? Tell us on X!
Now read: Yasir Al-Rumayyan enters Alfred Dunhill pro-am with pseudonym
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