Brandel Chamblee says LIV Golf is in ‘witness protection program,’ defends PGA Tour despite low viewership 

According to reports, only 89,000 people tuned in on the CW to watch Jon Rahm win the LIV Golf Championship title on Sunday. Interestingly, the Saudi-backed circuit claimed LIV Golf Chicago’s second round on Saturday was the highest-attended round in the United States ever. Despite the big claims, the round only drew 134,000 viewers on TV.

Following this, Brandel Chamblee came out to mock the series for its low ratings. The Golf Channel analyst said LIV Golf “remains in the witness protection program of sports viewership” despite spending “billions of dollars for golf megastars.” The former PGA Tour pro took a jibe at the series and said its ‘origin of investment’ was to blame for people’s alleged lack of interest.

Brandel Chamblee, who’s been a staunch critic of LIV Golf since its inception, wrote on X:

“Despite billions of dollars for golf megastars, LIV remains in the witness protection program of sports viewership. Partly because they are trying to “scale” the county-fair motleyness of the 16th hole at the WM Phoenix Open and the Seve-like passion of the Ryder Cup, they fail, not least for the lack of innovation of their ideas but also for the origin of their investment.”

It is pertinent the LIV Golf held this season’s Individual Championship finale over the weekend at Bolingbrook Golf Club. Interestingly, a total of 145,000 viewers caught Jon Rahm lift the trophy on YouTube telecast. However, this number hasn’t been included with the TV ratings.

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Brandel Chamblee defends PGA Tour while mocking LIV Golf

Chamblee made the above comments while sharing a tweet carrying LIV Golf Chicago’s viewership numbers. Interestingly, he received some flak from fans over the comment with many shedding light on the similar numbers received by the PGA Tour’s Procore Championship on Sunday.

The pro analyst, who blasted the Greg Norman-led series for low viewership, defended PGA Tour by stating that views “depends on the event.” Replying to a fan’s question comment on the American circuit’s abysmal rating, Chamblee said the circuit remains a “strong commercial property” despite it.

He dismissed the comments stating the “PGA Tour is still about charity and merit.”

He wrote on X:

“It depends on the event, and to be sure viewership is down, but overall the image of the PGA Tour is still about charity and merit. Which is why it still remains such a strong commercial property. Innovation is no doubt coming, but the PGA Tour with its partners still gives hundreds of millions to charity and has the most sought after demographic in all of sport. None of which can be said about LIV.”

According to reports, Patton Kizzire's win at the Procore Championship on Sunday garnered 69,000 viewers on Golf Channel. This is steep drop from 298,000 for Sahith Theegala's win last year. Meanwhile, the US team’s Solheim Cup win had an average viewership of 657,000 on NBC.