Social media in golf has changed the game in many ways.

For instance, “tracker” accounts on twitter typically follow a player and provide real time shot tracking for fans so they can keep an eye on what their favorite players are doing. The biggest example of this is “Tiger Tracker” (@GCTigerTracker) who has about 414,000 followers. Many have tried to duplicate these types of accounts with other players to varying degrees of success.

A recent example of one of these accounts is one dedicated to tracking LPGA star, Leona Maguire. In an odd turn of events, Maguire blocked the “Leona Maguire tracker” account for reasons unknown.

This is a shock?We love you Leona. I’ll keep supporting you always? pic.twitter.com/4BfUkVuwV8

— Leona Maguire Tracker (@MaguireTracker) May 28, 2023

The tracker stated they were “hurt and confused” by the blocking.

I’m hurt and confused.

— Leona Maguire Tracker (@MaguireTracker) May 28, 2023

It seems as if the block was caused by negative reporting on the shots Leona was hitting on the course. One Twitter user brought that to the attention of the tracker, who vowed to do better in the future.

I let the Leona team down with my tracking??I’ll be better https://t.co/UYU880pA2y

— Leona Maguire Tracker (@MaguireTracker) May 28, 2023

At the end of the day, these “tracker” accounts are just a player’s fan accounts. Therefore, it can’t be a major shock if the player doesn’t appreciate the negative comments when they don’t have their best stuff.

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Over the weekend, a scary injury took place at the NCAA National Championship at Greyhawk Country Club.

According to Golfweek, a sophomore from Oregon, Greg Solhaug stepped on a tee during the event. The tee went all the way through his shoe and his foot, forcing him to withdraw.

After Solhaug withdrew, Oregon only had four players remaining to compete. The Ducks head coach, Casey Martin, told goducks.com he’s never seen that type of injury before.

“I’ve been in golf nearly 50 years and have never seen anything like that. He was in a lot of pain.”

The NCAA’s Associate Director Rick Nixon released a statement on the incident.

“Oregon student-athlete, Gregory Solhaug, suffered a foot injury during the second round of the NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championships and was forced to withdraw from competition. Oregon, which completed Saturday’s second round with four players, will have the option to substitute another player into their team lineup for subsequent competition rounds, as they deem appropriate.”

Oregon’s Gregory Solhaug is at the course today. If you remember, he had a tee go almost all the way through his foot Saturday. He’s doing well and should be able to walk on it again in two weeks, he said #NCAAGolf pic.twitter.com/YQ9nR3WF7I

— Cameron Jourdan (@Cam_Jourdan) May 28, 2023

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A couple of weeks ago, Phil Mickelson admitted he had been a “bit chippy” on Twitter recently. That hasn’t stopped him though, and last week he escalated the war of words between confirmed anti-LIV analyst Brandel Chamblee and himself, with support led by Brooks Koepka’s coach.

2022 saw much of LIV derided for having players now incapable of competing in major championships. Now, after many placings at Augusta, and Koepka’s win at the PGA Championship, the tide is beginning to turn, summed up by Lefty’s comment on his favourite social media site:

Love LIV or hate it, it’s the best way/Tour to be your best in the majors. Enough events to keep you sharp, fresh and ready, yet not be worn down from too many tournaments or obligations. 14 LIV events, 34 weeks left open to prepare for the 4 majors. Fact.

— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) May 23, 2023

Soon after the victory, Koepka’s coach Claude Harmon gave his view of the ‘pay-to-play’ model, saying, “I want LIV to succeed and I want LIV to work because I am pro-professional athlete,” confirming his belief that the top golfers should be paid whatever the result.

He then took a swipe at Golf Channel’s Chamblee and golf journalist Eamon Lynch for their constant jabbing at the source of income for the rebel tour.

“Brandel is a paid actor by NBC and Golf Channel. All he’s trying to do is get his lines and shows for the Golf Channel. He’s just trying to get lines for Brandel … And I mean, I love him, I think Eamon is a fantastic writer, but for Eamon Lynch and Brandel Chamblee, who worked for NBC Golf Channel to utter the words ‘sports washing’ when the company they work for televised the last two Winter Olympics in Russia and China with the same leaders that they’ve had. It’s not like they were good leaders back then. It’s not like Putin was a good guy, right?”

Where Chamblee was happy to argue on television about the LIV/Ryder Cup debate, he is as happy as Mickelson to state his case on-line, most notably concentrating again in ‘sports-washing, ‘ denying he is a “proxy for the opinion of my employer, ” amidst a 500-plus word post that included a swipe at Harmon.

“Especially, as in the case of the person who called me a paid actor, if they can somehow profit from the evil. This is where the debate crashes headfirst into the nexus of politics, sports and narcissistic greed. Where those who want to escape it most often cloy at whataboutisms, to stop the discussion with a pejorative accusation because they don’t want their motives to be discovered.”

“So while Brooks Koepka’s win at the PGA Championship was impressive, it should not distract us from the simple fact that LIV players are being used for the benefit of some very bad people and to the detriment of a great many more good people. That LIV Golf, with its inability to develop stars and seeking to buy them like high performance cars, is undermining the dignity intrinsic in golf.”

That’s when Mickelson steps in and, after a bit of to-ing and fro-ing, starts the fire by posting,

“Poor Brandel. He can rip apart me and countless others, but as soon as someone shows his ignorance, he can’t handle it. He’s softer now than he was as a player.”

That was enough (again) for Chamblee, who got even more personal, highlighting the imminent release of the book by convicted insider trader Billy Walters, and his relationship with the six-time major champion. 

 

Phil is welcome to come on the Live From set at the US Open to discuss the merits of playing for scary MFers, as he called them, and the Billy Walters book that comes out August 22… but my guess he’s too soft to come on and debate. https://t.co/PJlE7MF9cg

— Brandel Chamblee (@chambleebrandel) May 26, 2023

As NUCLR Golf tried to sum up the entire episode, Mickelson then revealed another twist – his fierce rival had blocked him!

Did Brandel say something? pic.twitter.com/q96eNxlkND

— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) May 26, 2023

On Saturday, midway through LIV Golf DC, Phil was back, seemingly notifying all that he would be even more vocal in future.

Asked if he would go on-screen to debate, Mickelson was clear that he wouldn’t be going to Chamblee’s ‘house’:

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