Greg Norman allegedly denied knowing that a major golf journalist had been “physically removed” from a press conference by Phil Mickelson at the controversial Saudi-backed LIV Golf Tournament, despite evidence he was seeing how developed.
U.S. golf writer Alan Shipnuck, who wrote a biography of Mickelson and reported comments earlier this year that the star golfer called the Saudi regime “scary mothers,” was at the Centurion Club. on the outskirts of London for the start of the Norman break-up. League.
The series is funded by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund and has offered huge registration fees to the biggest stars in the gulf.
Norman, the series’ leading bowler, has been criticized for associating with a league that has been widely criticized as a sport-washing exercise.
Mickelson, who was reportedly paid more than $ 200 million just to play in the league, held a press conference after his 69-year-old in the first round on Friday morning (AEST).
Shipnuck posted pictures of security guards refusing to allow him access to Mickelson’s press conference, and later posted a screenshot on Twitter of what he claimed was a text exchange with Norman. The screenshot seems to have been answered by Norman who did not know that Shipnuck was being denied entry, but later images emerged of the Australian behind him as he unfolded. The exchange went viral and made headlines around the world.
Mickelson took a four-month break from professional golf after his comments came to light, skipping the Masters at Augusta National and not defending his USPGA title.
Shipnuck tweeted, “Well, a couple of neckless security guys physically pulled me out of Phil Mickelson’s press conference, saying they were acting on orders from his boss, whom they refused to name. (Greg Norman? MBS? Al Capone?) Never a boring moment in here “.