LIV Golf emerged on the professional golf scene back in 2022 and despite small success here and there, it’s obvious to see that they still have a lot of work to do.
It’s common for burgeoning companies to lose money during the infancy of their existence but questions are already being asked whether the LIV Golf model is actually a sustainable one.
And Brandel Chamblee has just made that point in reaction to the losses recorded by LIV.
Chamblee is an extremely outspoken critic of LIV Golf, and the Saudi-backed outfit is often the target of the golf analyst’s wrath.
A fierce and passionate supporter of the PGA Tour, Chamblee has lamented the lack of meritocracy on LIV.
However, they proved last year with the relegation of numerous players that that is not necessarily the case anymore.
Chamblee actually accused LIV Golf star Phil Mickelson of making ‘insanely idiotic’ comments in regard to the validity of the Saudi-backed league as a professional golf tour.
There are good points about LIV. Some of the golfers they have amongst their stable are world-class, including Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau.
However, there is still somewhat of an exhibition feel about their tournaments and that will have to change moving forward, if they are to grow their brand.
Brandel Chamblee reacts to record LIV Golf losses
According to The Financial Times, the losses of LIV Golf’s UK entity have swollen to $461m in 2024 from $395m in 2023 and $243m in the 18 months to the end of 2022.
That totals more than $1 billion is losses since LIV was formed three-and-a-half years ago.
It obviously won’t be sustainable for the Saudi backers of the league to keep that up, certainly not if they want to operate as a reputable business.
Chamblee reacted to the losses LIV have made over the past few years and made a comparison with Elon Musk’s company, Tesla.
He said: “In fairness, it’s not unusual for startups to lose money in the first few years. Tesla didn’t record its first ever quarterly profit until 2013, a decade after its founding.
“But, most startups correct mistakes that led to those losses and make adjustments and improvements on the way to financial success.
“LIV seems convinced that they have what golf is missing, and have not made adjustments in their model, despite compelling evidence that their model isn’t working. As long as the PGA Tour doesn’t alienate the core golfer, I don’t see them leaving for LIV.“
Tesla was formed in 2003 and did not achieve a full-year profit until 2020 so LIV can take heart from Elon Musk’s brainchild.
However, like Chamblee said, Musk evolved and continued to develop the product he was selling, rather than stagnate and stubbornly proceed along the path he originally set out on.
10 golfers who could potentially join LIV Golf in 2026
Perhaps due to the losses LIV have made recently, they are seemingly set to change the way they go about things.
Gone are the days of numerous megastar signings from the PGA Tour.
Martin Kaymer spoke to Bunkered about his Cleeks team making a new signing, and suggested that the top-10 on the final leaderboard at the Irish Open a few weeks ago are under consideration.
He explained: “We are already on the case talking to several players.
“We have had a lot of interest which is a great thing.”
“We have a lot of interest from the European Tour. Guys who were finishing top-10 in Ireland [last month]. I have had calls from managers, they wanted to talk. There is a lot of interest.”
So, which golfers could be LIV-bound? Well, Rory McIlroy won the Irish Open, and he certainly won’t be jumping ship from the PGA Tour.
That leaves Joakim Lagergren, Angel Hidalgo, Rafa Cabrera Bello, Angel Ayora, Adrien Saddier, Oliver Lindell, Jacob Skov Olesen, Daniel Brown, Jeff Winther and Shaun Norris as the players who potentially could be about to join LIV.
I’m sure the DP World Tour hierarchy won’t be losing any sleep over the thought of any of those players leaving.
That said, perhaps signing lesser-known players rather than ready-made stars is the way forward for LIV Golf.
The losses they have made over the past three years prove that something has to change.
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