Phil Mickelson has insisted he's not been telling people Jon Rahm going to LIV Golf is a "done deal" as he had yet another online altercation with writer Alan Shipnuck.
Rahm joining LIV Golf has been the talk of the golfing world over recent days, although it has to be said it's all just rumor and speculation at this point.
Among all the LIV talk flying around, golf journalist and writer Shipnuck posted on social media that Mickelson had been fuelling the Rahm rumors by telling people the Spaniard is joining Greg Norman's league.
Shipnuck wrote on X: "In recent days Phil has been telling folks that Rahm signing with LIV is a done deal (they share the same agent.)”
And he could also not resist having a dig at his old foe, adding: "But we all know Mickelson is a relentless salesman/bull***t artist so take that for what it's worth."
Mickelson was never going to let that slide, and posted an angry response insisting he did not know, and did not want to know, what the situation was with Rahm.
“This isn’t true, and I don’t know anything. I don’t want to know anything, and I haven’t said anything," said Mickelson, who hit back at Shipnuck by adding: "Alan is the worst liar and a pathetic human."
It's a back-and-forth we're used to between the two sparring partners, with Shipnuck later responding with a jibe at Mickelson blocking him on social media as a "classic tough-guy move" and concluding that "what he says publicly and privately is *very* different."
This isn’t true and I don’t know anything. I don’t want to know anything and I haven’t said anything. Alan is the worst liar and a pathetic human.November 22, 2023
Mickelson is obviously the poster boy as the first big name to move to LIV and is credited with being the architect of the entire movement.
Along with sharing a good friendship, and agent, with Rahm, his brother Tim was also the two-time Major winner's college coach at Arizona State - so there's a close connection there.
And if anyone was going to talk the 29-year-old into leaving the PGA Tour and joining the Saudi-backed team circuit then you'd think it would be Mickelson.
The bitter feuding and sniping on social media is not a great look though for either Mickelson or Shipnuck, but Tour pro Michael Kim saw the funny side after the two men arguing yet again.
"Amazing," he posted. "Nothing like LIV drama to keep me entertained while trying to deal with jet lag."
Amazing. Nothing like LIV drama to keep me entertained while trying to deal with jet lag 😂 (Ur swing still looks pure @JamesNitties23) pic.twitter.com/SSoQoqrGOFNovember 23, 2023
