Golf Channel pundit Brandel Chamblee has taken a brutal dig at LIV Golf as talks between Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and the PGA Tour continue.
Since the Saudi-backed league was formed in 2022, few have been more scathing of its presence within the professional game than Chamblee.
Chamblee slammed Scott O’Neil after the LIV CEO claimed the 54-hole league was the only place to watch the best players in the world. O’Neil’s comments coincided with Scottie Scheffler, Ludvig Aberg and Rory McIlroy all competing against each other at the Genesis Invitational.
Furthermore, Chamblee has always been cynical about LIV’s funding. The PIF’s involvement in all sports has long been controversial.
Brandel Chamblee makes LIV Golf ‘life support’ claim
Chamblee’s latest claim on LIV might be his strongest stance yet. Speaking ahead of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, the Golf Channel pundit initially discussed LIV’s TV ratings.
“I know LIV got a few of the stars, but I would argue that the PGA Tour is holding all the cards,” Chamblee said.
“I was very suspect at the ratings I saw last year and the year before because they weren’t measuring connected TV, they weren’t measuring devices, they weren’t measuring your iPad, your phone or social media interaction. They weren’t, in general, measuring how people were consuming the game, so these were antiquated systems of measurement that were showing the game was down.
“But if you retroactively go back and look, the game was up 20% last year, 13% the year before. The numbers this year, now that they have started measuring connected TV devices, of course they, are up.
“The game made no sense to me. It was bursting at the seams everywhere else; you can’t get into a club, can’t get a tee time, everybody is talking about golf, more women are playing golf, more juniors are playing, more minorities are playing. But the professional game was down? None of that made sense to me.”
Chamblee added: “Again, I look at the PGA Tour and think you are holding all the cards. Do you really need an alignment with LIV? Look at LIV last year, their most important tournament, their year-end event, which finished on Network TV on the East Coast in prime time. 50,000 people watched Jon Rahm win that. More people watch Pickleball. They are not buying what LIV is selling.
“Nobody is. It’s a poor product. Nobody is interested in it. It turns out all those players, they say, can’t galvanise support or get people to watch. Turn on TV though and there’s Campbell winning, people are watching. Last week Highsmith won, people are watching.
“By the way, the PGA Tour has a pipeline. The PGA Tour university and accelerator program – we have Aberg, Clanton, and Gordon Sergeant. We have a pipeline developing stars for the PGA Tour. Where is the pipeline for LIV? It is on life support, hoping that a deal is coming.”
Latest on LIV Golf-PGA Tour merger talks
Chamblee’s latest comments come as the PGA Tour hierarchy is locked in talks with the PIF. Jay Monahan met with Donald Trump last month, and Yasir Al-Rumayyan also travelled to the White House for talks.
Despite renewed optimism emerging, the prospect of an imminent deal is extremely unlikely at present. Al-Rumayyan is reportedly remaining steadfast in his belief that a team aspect must stay in the professional scene.
Ahead of this week’s Signature Event, Monahan delivered an update. “I think anything I’ve said is consistent with what should be said when you’re in the middle of a complex discussion to try and unify the game,” the PGA Tour commissioner said. “It doesn’t speak to my confidence level; it speaks to the moment. I view that meeting as a huge step, and so I look at that very positive.”
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