Brandel Chamblee says the money talks in golf seemed like ‘tug of war between the greediest athletes in the world’ 

Golf analyst Brandel Chamblee, a strong supporter of the PGA Tour since the inception of LIV Golf, recently discussed the dynamic changes in golf. In his interview on the Dan Patrick Show, Chamblee talked about how money had affected the game over the last few years.

In recent years, dozens of players from different golf series have joined LIV Golf, reportedly due to the significant financial incentives offered by the Saudi circuit. Chamblee mentioned that the influx of money has led to many "people becoming disenchanted with the professional sport."

Speaking about the changes, Chamblee said (via "Dan Patrick Show" on YouTube):

"Golf is a participation sport as much as it is about entertainment but the professional, I think, to your point. I think most people became disenchanted with the professional sport and the greed that was so pervasive in it."

"Everybody fighting for money that was not warranted based upon the niche aspect of the appeal of the game. And that they were already, comparatively speaking, unbelievably wealthy, and it just seemed like this tug of war between the greediest athletes in the world, and they had an unrealistic view of their worth," Chamblee added. (at 10:15-10:53)

The golf world has witnessed dynamic changes in the last two years. LIV Golf introduced no-cut limited-field events with elevated purses. In response to the threat from this breakaway series, even the PGA Tour has introduced limited-field no-cut events with increased prize money.

---

Brandel Chamblee praises Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods for staying on the PGA Tour

During the same conversation on the "Dan Patrick Show", Brandel Chamblee appreciated Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy's commitment to the PGA Tour. McIlroy and Woods reportedly received substantial contract offers from the breakaway series but declined them to remain on the PGA Tour. They have been strong supporters of the American golf series.

However, after PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan announced a merger with the controversial series, McIlroy made a surprising U-turn and spoke in favor of LIV Golf in his interviews. Earlier this year, rumors surfaced that LIV had offered the Northern Irish golfer a staggering $850 million contract. McIlroy, however, clarified by releasing a statement assuring that he would only play on the PGA Tour.

Brandel Chamblee called Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy the "most appealing players in the game globally." Chamblee said:

"But the reason Tiger and Rory were so much to the fore is because, at least from the professional aspect of it, the game really suffers unless the stars are going to stick with the PGA Tour. So, the lesser-known players needed to know that the best players were going to be around because the game fell apart, and the meteorites would fall apart if the stars were not prominent."

"And thanks to Rory, thanks to Tiger. I think people follow suit, they're leaders, they're the two biggest voices in the game, Rory and Tiger. And they're the most appealing players in the game globally. So they were very important to the sticking power of the PGA Tour, so to speak," he added. (11:00-11:50)

Notably, the PGA Tour has been in conversation with the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF) for a deal likely to be finalized this year. Earlier this year, the American golf series signed a partnership deal with Sports Strategic Group (SSG) worth around $3 billion. Moreover, the PGA Tour has also given equity shares to its top-ranked players.