‘Fractured and Politicized’: Alan Shipnuck Thrashes the PGA Tour Amid Jon Rahm’s Massive Money Jump
Alan Shipnuck, the controversial author, who was earlier embroiled in a war of words with Phil Mickelson, chips in on the Jon Rahm switch. The Spaniard’s shock move to LIV Golf has taken the golf world by surprise, especially because of his disinterest in the breakaway league since the beginning. The former Sports Illustrated author thinks there is more to it than the reported $300M the Masters champion will receive.
While many were quick to rake the Spaniard over the coals, Shipnuck took a surprisingly different stance. The author of “LIV and Let Die” responded to a Twitter user who dubbed the Spaniard as a “sell out mister money.” As per the veteran sports journalist, it points towards a deep-rooted problem within the PGA Tour.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the veteran sports journalist said, that a PGA Tour loyalist’s defection also points to something that’s rotten inside the core. “The money is always the biggest factor, obvs. (obvious) But Rahm’s change of heart is also a repudiation of the Tour leadership and a commentary on the increasingly fractured and politicized Tour membership.”
The PGA Tour, too, seems to have acknowledged some problems need to be sorted out quickly. The December 1 memo shared by Tiger Woods, notes a program allowing players to have a stake in the Tour through equity grants. Moreover, the Tour also addressed Rahm’s earlier demands. However, nothing could stop the mega switch.
