Rory McIlroy claim by Ryder Cup teammate denied: "Has he been drinking?"

The founder of fitness brand WHOOP has taken to social media to deny a claim purportedly made by one of Rory McIlroy's former Ryder Cup teammates.

Ben Smith

13 Dec 2023

Rory McIlroy claim by Ryder Cup teammate denied: "Has he been drinking?"

The founder and chief executive of WHOOP has denied a claim about Rory McIlroy allegedly made by one of his former Ryder Cup teammates.

In October, extracts of Alan Shipnuck's book, LIV and Let Die, were being released.

The book details the ongoing battle between the PGA Tour and their Saudi-backed LIV Golf rivals.

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One quotation of note was reportedly made by one of McIlroy's former Ryder Cup teammates.

We don't know who the player was, but they didn't hold back on the four-times major champion.

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In an expletive-laden rant, the anonymous player said McIlroy, 34, was 'bought and paid for like everyone else'.

"It's just that his money is coming from the other side," he added.

He was referring to the fact McIlroy led the charge against LIV as the de facto spokesperson for the Tour.

The golfer also claimed that when WHOOP wanted to do a deal with the PGA Tour, the North American circuit 'insisted' McIlroy be one of the endorsers and given a $10m equity stake in the company.

Will Ahmed, who runs WHOOP, took to X on 12 December to dispute the claim.

"There is no truth to this story," he wrote.

"I would know as I run whoop. Furthermore Rory and his team are all class - one of the best not just in golf but all of sports. Inaccurate reporting."

Rory McIlroy claim by Ryder Cup teammate denied:

Shipnuck also responded in the thread, writing: "I asked McIlroy's manager Sean O'Flaherty to fact-check that passage and the only comment he would give me is, 'Has the Ryder Cup teammate been drinking?' It's in the book."

There is no truth to this story. I would know as I run whoop. Furthermore Rory and his team are all class - one of the best not just in golf but all of sports.
Inaccurate reporting. @NUCLRGOLF @AlanShipnuck https://t.co/m83MxESZtN
— Will Ahmed (@willahmed) December 12, 2023

What the player said, in full:

"F*** Rory. I'm so sick of hearing about how he's some kind of hero who is saving golf. He's bought and paid for like everybody else, it's just that his money is coming from the other side.

"Did you know that when Whoop wanted to do a deal with the PGA Tour, the Tour insisted that Rory be one of the endorsers? He was given a $10 million equity stake that is now worth $200 million.

How do you think he got his own deal with NBC?

"The Tour brokered that, too. The Tour is so reliant on Rory now they've given him his own league (TGL), even though it will compete with the Tour for viewers and advertisers.

"Rory's fighting so hard for the Tour because he wants to preserve his revenue streams, not because he cares about the Tour itself.

That he is being held up as some kind of saviour on Twitter and by all the fanboys with their shitty podcasts tells you how little people really understand what's going on."

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