Greg Norman claimed he didn't know Alan Shipnuck was kicked out of the press conference. Image: Twitter
Greg Norman appears to have been caught in a huge lie after a prominent journalist was removed from a press conference at the
inaugural LIV golf event on Thursday.
Norman's controversial LIV Invitational series officially got underway at the Centurion Club in London, with a number of the biggest names in world golf taking part after defecting from the PGA Tour.
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The
much-maligned series is funded by Saudi Arabia and is using a reported $3 billion war chest to lure players away from the PGA Tour.
The LIV series is the most lucrative event in golf history, but has attracted criticism due to its ties to the Saudi regime.
And there was further controversy during the opening round at St Albans on Thursday when journalist and biographer Alan Shipnuck claimed he was removed from Phil Mickelson's press conference by security.
Video has been circulating on social media of the security guards asking Shipnuck to leave.
“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 tweeted.
The journalist also posted a screenshot of a text message exchange he had with Norman in which he asked the Aussie legend if he was aware he “got muscled” out of the press conference.
Norman responded: “Did not hear. Thanks for letting me know.”
However Norman has seemingly been caught in a lie after a photo emerged of Norman looking straight at the exchange between Shipnuck and security guards.
"You cannot make this shit up!" he tweeted.
"I texted Greg Norman before someone sent me this video - I had no idea he was lurking behind me."
Shipnuck shot to prominence in February when he published Mickelson's infamous remarks about the Saudi regime.
“They’re scary motherf***ers to get involved with,” Mickelson told Shipnuck.
“We know they killed (Washington Post reporter Jamal) Khashoggi and have a horrible record on human rights. They execute people over there for being gay.
"Knowing all of this, why would I even consider it? Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates.”
Greg Norman has seemingly been caught in a massive lie at the inaugural LIV golf event. Read all the details here.
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