Bryson DeChambeau the 'exception' in 'detrimental' LIV Golf trend rages pundit

Golf Channel pundit Brandel Chamblee has launched another attack on LIV Golf , reiterating his long-standing skepticism about the controversial tour. Chamblee, who has been an outspoken critic of LIV since its launch in 2022 , has consistently criticized the league for the human rights controversies associated with its Saudi Arabian financial backers.

He has also critiqued the league's playing format and the overall quality of competition. The pundit highlighted a difficult year for LIV players at the majors, with only Bryson DeChambeau making a significant impact . DeChambeau clinched the US Open title and secured a runner-up spot at the PGA Championship, winning over fans with his passionate and charismatic displays.

However, big names like Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, and Dustin Johnson did not make their mark in this season's biggest tournaments, and Chamblee attributes their lackluster performances to their participation in LIV.

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"With the exception of DeChambeau, not one LIV player managed a top-five in a major in 2024," Chamblee posted on X . "Bryson is without a doubt one of the most compelling figures in the game, and his newfound engagement with the fans was a highlight of the major season but on the whole LIV players were a huge disappointment in the 2024 majors," reports the Mirror US .

"It is a relatively small sample size given LIV has been playing for less than three years, but it's safe to say that LIV golf has been detrimental to the competitiveness of their careers when they compete at the highest level.

"To be sure, several of their players are missed from the upper echelons of the game from a spectacle standpoint but there is very little evidence that events are substantially compromised competitively by their absence. Or, for that matter, that the world rankings are very far askew given the fall-off of almost all of the LIV players' games."

Golf pundit Chamblee doesn't shy away from controversy, and his critical opinions on LIV Golf have drawn sharp retorts, particularly from Anthony Kim. The golfer made headlines this year by signing with LIV after a 12-year hiatus.

He's been leading the charge in a fierce online exchange, recently slamming Chamblee as a "talentless fool".

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In the aftermath of Chamblee's biting comments, a social media user suggested those who went over to LIV enriched themselves at the bank. To this, Chamblee clapped back: "Those are substantial, although few contracts were what's been reported from the sounds of it."

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He continued to dissect the situation, pointing out less glaring aspects: "But when one looks at the after-tax dollars and the cut their managers all got, and the fact that they lost their autonomy as players (note, none of them could properly prepare for links golf the week before The Open because they had to play a LIV event in Spain) and the money that most or all lost in endorsements upon signing, and the buzz of playing at the highest level week in and week out, perhaps not as substantial all in."

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