Brandel Chamblee rips apart “laughable” LIV Golf format - “It's an insult to the integrity of competition"

The creation of the LIV Golf League in 2022 has caused quite a stir in the golf community. Brandel Chamblee, a former pro golfer and Golf Channel analyst hasn't shied away from expressing his thoughts on the Saudi-backed league.

Chamblee has been critical of LIV Golf's format and operations multiple times on media platforms. On the No Laying Up podcast, he reiterated that the league's primary funders, PIF, have not received a "worthwhile return" from their investment into the league yet.

"So you come to the last hole and you need to birdie to win the individual competition but a par to win the team, are you really trying to make a birdie because if you take the risk and the team loses there’s hell to pay, so I think it’s an insult to the integrity of competition," Chamblee said (at 1:34:00).

In an interview with Golf WRX in May 2024, Brandel Chamblee went on to criticize the operations of the league. As opposed to the PGA Tour's staggered tee times, LIV Golf follows a shotgun format where all players tee off at the same time but from different holes.

Chamblee said:

"The format for LIV is just stupid. There’s no other word for it. 54 holes, 54 players start. Willy nilly here and there. Nobody winning a golf tournament should finish on the third hole on some par three while his closest competitors finish on the 17th hole or the 18th hole. It’s just a laughable concept. There’s no way to judge the talents of these players out there."

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A look into Brandel Chamblee's feud with LIV Golf's Anthony Kim

Known for being vocal about his opinions on the LIV Golf League, Brandel Chamblee has been in a constant back-and-forth battle with Anthony Kim. Having made his debut in the Saudi-based league in 2024 after a 12-year-long break, Kim hasn't held back on rebutting Chamblee.

In an interview with Golf WRX in May 2024, Brandel Chamblee accused the former PGA Tour star of joining LIV Golf just for the paycheck. He called Kim a " juvenile " and named him "somebody who's been bought," adding:

"I thought it was juvenile. Social media is a perfect place for juveniles to go behave like children, like the ball pit at McDonalds without adult supervision."

In response to Chamblee, Anthony Kim took to his X account and wrote:

"Again an inaccurate statement by someone who would know about hangin around ball pits when he left his family and four kids for someone half his age @GolfChannel. Very unprofessional. Also I’m not for sale I chose to play @livgolf_league bcuz it was best for me and my family."