After it was announced that the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf have come together to “unify the game of golf, on a global basis," Golf Channel's Brandel Chamblee has stated that the move is "one of the saddest days in the history of professional golf."
Speaking on the Golf Channel just hours after the news was released to the public, the American gave his views, with Chamblee not holding back, stating that he was "completely shocked" and "hugely disappointed."
“One of the saddest days in the HISTORY of professional golf” - Brandel Chamblee pic.twitter.com/XNMkZ46eSXJune 6, 2023
The analyst has been very outspoken on his views of the LIV Golf League, with Chamblee previously calling out Greg Norman and Phil Mickelson's involvement in the Saudi-backed circuit. Back in October, the former PGA Tour winner stated: "It’s lost on them (Mickelson and Norman) that they’re working for a dictator and dictators are notoriously good at manipulating people to the incremental change it takes to get to tyranny."
Now, less than a year on, the three Tours have merged and, once again, the American has not held back on his opinion, explaining that: "When I first heard about it, I was completely shocked. After the shock sort of ebbed away, I was hugely disappointed."
He went on to add: "I think this is one of the saddest days in the history of professional golf. I do believe the governing bodies, the entities, the professional entities have sacrificed their principles for profit.”
Previously, Chamblee has also called out Claude Harmon III for being happy to "profit from the evil" by defending LIV Golf. What's more, Chamblee was also involved in a tense exchange with Brad Faxon following the PGA Championship, an event which was won by LIV golfer, Brooks Koepka.
Discussing the subject of whether Koepka could be involved with the American Ryder Cup side, Faxon explained that the: "USGA will let those same exempt players already play. The PGA of America runs the Ryder Cup. I don't think this has anything to do with... They're not playing for money at the Ryder Cup, they are playing for their country, if they're American."
Following the point, Chamblee repeated the line "they're playing for their country", with the 60-year-old then adding: "There's a certain sense that the Europeans are playing for their Tour". Following the repetition, Faxon then delivered the line "they're playing golf", before an awkward silence then ensued.
