“They would have had Brooks Koepka” – Alan Shipnuck on the difference Phil Mickelson’s ‘scary mother****ers’ quote made to LIV Golf

Phil Mickelson sparked a major outrage last year after his biographer Alan Shipnuck revealed the golfer’s "scary mother****ers” comment about the Saudis. The big comment came ahead of the former PGA Tour star’s big-money move to LIV Golf and it had several implications in the golf world. Now, Shipnuck has opened up on the difference Mickelson’s comment had on LIV.

According to Shipnuck, Mickelson’s controversial remarks slowed down LIV’s growth in some way. He was speaking in an interview with Golfweek, when the LIV star’s biographer addressed the issue.

Shipnuck opined that the Saudi-backed series would’ve had big-name players like Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau in the event’s inaugural field if it wasn’t for the harsh comments.

However, he further noted that that the current pro golf dynamic and framework had only minimal difference due to Mickelson’s statement. He went on to state that LIV eventually got all the players they wished to have onboard despite the heat.

Commenting on the effects of Phil Mickelson’s ‘scary mother****ers’ quote, Alan Shipnuck was quoted as saying by the above-mentioned publication:

“Yeah, they (LIV Golf) were still able to launch. I think they would have had Brooks [Koepka] and Bryson [DeChambeau] and Patrick Reed in the inaugural field instead of having to onboard them a few weeks later. But they eventually got them.

"I don’t know if it would have changed the landscape at all, and even if Phil had never called me and said those things to me, it would have played out differently for Phil, but I think LIV Golf was too far down the road. If it had come out a year earlier, it could have had a more substantial effect, but at that point LIV was still committed. But it’s an interesting thought exercise.”

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Phil Mickelson denies making the ‘scary mother****ers’ comment on the Saudis

It is pertinent to note that Phil Mickelson never admitted to making the big ‘scary mother****ers’ comment on the Saudis. The former PGA Tour star was quick to deny making the statement after he announced his move to LIV Golf.

The golfer denied doing an interview with Shipnuck and dismissed all of the latter’s claims. The 2021 PGA Championship winner said that he had “utmost respect” for the Saudi Arabian administration and others involved with the series.

Speaking at a press conference in Jeddah last year, Phil Mickelson said:

“I never did an interview with Alan Shipnuck. And I find that my experience with everybody associated with LIV Golf has been nothing but incredibly positive and I have the utmost respect for everybody that I've been involved with."

It is noteworthy that Mickelson’s strong denial of the controversial statement came months after he made an open apology for the statements. The golfer has since strongly denied making any comments on the Saudis.