Alan Shipnuck Reiterates The “Big Risk” That Phil Mickelson Skipped As It Still Haunts The ‘Confused’ Liv Golfers

PGA Tour golfers who missed out on lucrative deals in 2022 are potentially looking forward to making their debut in 2024. However, the golfers do not wish to lose OWGR points or ranking and, subsequently, miss the major championship.

Alan Shipnuck narrates the dilemma faced by these pros and explains the huge risk taken by those who are attempting to join the breakaway league in his latest interview as he sat to discuss his newest book, LIV and Let Die.

Alan Shipnuck spills beans on the potential new players joining LIV Golf

Alan Shipnuck, popular for his Phil Mickelson biography and an avid critic of the Lefty, released his recent book called LIV and Let Die which also talks about the PIF and PGA Tour fiasco over the last two years. In an exclusive interview with Today’s Golfer about his book, Shipnuck commented on the future of PGA Tour pros moving to the breakaway league.

The writer first described the “Big risk” of moving to LIV. He explained that while shifting to LIV Golf provides a lucrative deal, it does not promise OWGR points for ranking. This, in turn, makes qualifying for the majors difficult for many golfers—a risk avoided by those who have already won a major and are exempted for the coming years, like Bryson DeChambeau and Dustin Johnson.

However, for players like Talor Gooch, it is hard to meet the criteria for majors and participate in them, as they are no longer eligible for OWGR points and are dropping lower in world rankings. This drop in rankings will gravely affect their chances of qualifying for the majors. Shipnuck said, “Guys in that tier are good players but don’t have multi-year exemptions to the Majors, so joining LIV comes with a big risk.”

Furthermore, despite the risk, Shipnuck agreed that there will still be new pros joining the LIV Golf in 2024. However, he wondered if it would be B-list golfers or “blockbuster signings” that were seen in 2022 which included, “Hall of Fame players, Major winners, and Ryder Cup stars.” The 2024 season remains unprecedented for both PGA Tour and LIV Golf as the deal delays and the golfers remain uncertain.

The dilemma faced by PGA Tour pros

Shipnuck shared that despite the potential delay of the merger, the Tour pros will have to choose between the last chance of acquiring the million-dollar deal or choosing to play the major. The merger may change the uncertain future of LIV Golf, which stands rejected by the OWGR.

Read More: Tiger Woods Bounces Back With a Mega Announcement Despite a Broken Deal With Nike

The author commented on the dilemma and said, “Rubber is going to hit the road here because guys are going to have to make that decision before the framework agreement is done.” The deadline for the merger is 31st December, but before that, the golfers have to choose between the two leagues. Will players put their chances of playing at the majors at risk for the money-making LIV Golf deals? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Watch this Story: LIV Golf Takes a Huge Leap Towards Success; With or Without Jon Rahm’s $600M Signing