Alan Shipnuck’s book reveals the inside story on LIV Golfers’ absence from Golf Channel and Patrick Reed's lawsuits 

Journalist and author Alan Shipnuck's latest book, "LIV and Let Die, The Inside Story of The War Between The PGA Tour and LIV Golf," includes an enormous amount of commentary on the most diverse topics involving the two circuits. It runs the gamut from the Golf Channel to lawsuits, for example.

This Wednesday, December 6, Today's Golfer published a new excerpt from Alan Shipnuck's latest book. In the first part of it, the author addresses the strained relationship between LIV Golf and Golf Channel. More specifically, with the channel's commentators Brandel Chamblee and Eamon Lynch.

Brandel Chamblee and Eamon Lynch (Image via Getty and X @OfficialTourPro).

Alan Shipnuck reflected the strong anti-LIV positions of Chamblee and Lynch, on the one hand, and also the no less strong ones on the part of defenders of the circuit backed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF). The latter includes, for example, Claude Harmon III, swing coach to LIV Golf stars Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, and Pat Perez.

Among the many things that, according to the excerpt, have been said on both sides are accusations that Golf Channel only reflects one side of the story. So said Claude Harmon III, quoted by Alan Shipnuck (via Today's Golfer):

"The most ridiculous part is that Golf Channel masquerades as a news organization but it never tries to tell the other side. It's like Brandel's opinions are gospel. Don't they have an obligation to at least pretend to care about balance?"

Brandel Chamblee, according to Alan Shipnuck, responded to such accusations by pointing the finger at LIV Golf's own players and management. Here's how he put it:

"We've asked people from LIV to come on our set and provide balance. Every single one turns us down because they can’t defend their position and they know it. Phil, Westwood, Poulter— every single one of them has said no. That's why you don't hear their voice: They won't fight for their side because deep down they know what they're doing is indefensible."

The truth is that LIV Golf has only put Greg Norman and selected players in front of the television cameras on a few occasions, that too only through the Fox News broadcasting signal.

What did Alan Shipnuck write about Patrick Reed's lawsuits?

The excerpt released on Wednesday also reflected what Alan Shipnuk wrote about Patrick Reed. Specifically, about the lawsuits initiated by the player after transferring to LIV Golf.

As is his style in the book, Alan Shipnuck handles the story through quotes from people who might have been close to the event. In this case, he quoted, among others, Stewart Cink and Tom Hoge.

This was part of what Shipnuck wrote about it:

"It was only after he arrived on LIV, with its anti-establishment pose, that [Patrick] Reed felt comfortable lashing out against the golf press. Did PGA Tour officials discourage him from filing lawsuits? "They discouraged me from doing a lot of things," he says. "There were a lot of things that were said and done that are just not kosher."

The excerpt continues:

"Another way of looking at it: the PGA Tour was trying to protect Reed from himself. One of his former Tour colleagues, Stewart Cink, says, 'I like Patrick Reed. He's fun to play with. But when you start suing everyone on the golf beat, that's where I draw the line and say, 'C'mon, man. Really?'"

The extract adds:

"Adds Tour player Tom Hoge, 'It's a weird strategy. When you're in the public light, there is always going to be scrutiny. Are you going to sue everybody who says or writes something you don't like? That creates a lot of bad energy. But he seems to thrive on that kind of attention."

Patrick Reed filed defamation lawsuits in 2022 against several reporters. The most widely recognized were Brandel Chamblee, Eamon Lynch and Shane Bacon. The lawsuit was later dismissed.