Brandel Chamblee takes aim at two LIV players who he thinks are well overrated after Rory McIlroy comparisons

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LIV Golf returns this weekend, with Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton among those taking on LIV Golf Riyadh.

DeChambeau played the International Series India in a bid to fine-tune his game ahead of the LIV Golf opener, while Tyrrell Hatton won the Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour.

LIV Golf Riyadh will be played under the cover of darkness as the season looks to get underway in spectacular fashion.

Riyadh Golf Club hosts the tournament, which will be followed by tournaments in Hong Kong and Adelaide.

Also involved in Riyadh is Joaquin Niemann, who has just received an exemption into the 2025 PGA Championship.

Brandel Chamblee slams Joaquin Niemann and Talor Gooch after Rory McIlroy comparisons

It follows his invite to play in The Masters, with Brandel Chamblee now sharing his verdict on that scenario for Bunkered.

“All those players joined that tour saying they wanted to play less but now, to accrue world ranking points, they’re playing more and all around the world where ranking points are available, the way Joaquin Niemann has done,” said Chamblee.

READ MORE: Rory McIlroy responds when asked how close he is to playing the best golf he ever has after winning at Pebble Beach

“And Niemann, yeah, he’s a good player, but let’s not pretend that he’s as good as they pretend he is. He’s played in 22 majors and never even finished in the top 15. Seven missed cuts.

“They keep acting like he’s the next Rory McIlroy, the same way they were talking about Talor Gooch last year, who, by the way, played in three majors, missed two cuts and finished 34th in the other [in 2023], so turns out he’s not as good as they said he was.”

Rory McIlroy, Joaquin Niemann and Talor Gooch best major championship finishes

Niemann took on the International Series India alongside DeChambeau, with the pair finishing T3 and second respectively as Ollie Schniederjans came out on top.

The Chilean won twice on the PGA Tour before his defection to LIV Golf, where he finished second behind Rahm in last season’s individual points list.

READ MORE: Professional golfer says what Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods can do which Scottie Scheffler simply cannot match

Gooch meanwhile was the 2023 LIV Golf individual champion, but Chamblee remains unimpressed by their feats in comparison to those of McIlroy.

The Northern Irishman is a four-time major champion, but last tasted such success more than a decade ago.

But McIlroy is already off to a winning start on the PGA Tour this season, having emerged victorious at last week’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

The success has fired him to the top of the European Ryder Cup qualification standings, with 700 FedEx Cup points and 75.623 world ranking points going his way.

LIV Golf meanwhile has not received OWGR accreditation, meaning players are unable to gain world ranking points from its tournaments.