Phil Mickelson accused of causing ‘irreparable harm’ in explosive rant against LIV Golfer.

Golf commentator Brandel Chamblee has escalated his verbal sparring with Phil Mickelson by asserting that the six-time major champion has done significant damage to professional golf by switching allegiance to LIV.

For several years, there has been a ongoing conflict in the world of golf following the establishment of the Saudi-backed league.

Mickelson was the initial player persuaded to change his equipment by Greg Norman, leading to many others following suit. Jon Rahm recently joined the trend of high-profile players making the switch.

The Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) has been in discussions with the Saudi Arabia-backed golf league, LIV, since the summer of last year in an effort to reach a resolution regarding the sport’s future.

Tiger Woods, along with a group of players, held a meeting with Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the chairman of the Saudi Public Investment Fund, last month.

But Mickelson’s level of involvement in LIV continues to upset Chamblee, who has repeatedly spoken out against Saudi Arabia trying to “buy the game and run tournaments to obfuscate their atrocities”.

“I’m disappointed in him because he could have left the game in a better place,” Chamblee told Golfweek.

People were, early in his career or most of his career, they were making the analogy that he had similarities to Palmer, go for broke, gave the fans what they wanted, and I think he turned his back on the game.

“I think he turned his back on the stage that made him who he was and all the people that came before him.

“I think that the players that have gone to LIV have done a disservice to the game of golf.

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“It’s like they’re going to get theirs. It’s like they’re all pulling the ladders up. They had to climb up those ladders to get to where they were, and the people that had placed those ladders were the generations that came before them

They reached their goal, believing they achieved it independently and now plan to keep all the rewards for themselves by cutting off opportunities for others.”

“I believe Phil had the potential to positively impact the game of golf, but instead, he has caused harm to the sport.”

Chamblee stated that he believes the blame should be placed on Greg Norman and Phil Mickelson for influencing the outcome of the game in that manner.

“I do not think Greg Norman or Phil are bad people. I believe they have made unwise decisions that have harmed the game.

While they have become wealthier, the state of the game has worsened.”

“It works great if you get richer and the game gets richer in concert. That works great.

“That’s what every single player that’s come along has tried to do with the game of golf. Make the game richer, they get richer, either monetarily or in spirit. But they get richer.

“The game has gotten poorer, but Norman has gotten richer, Phil has gotten richer, Rahm has gotten richer, but because of their decisions, the game has gotten poorer.”

“He could have said no, and it likely would have died. Jerry Foltz and David Feherty were not in a position to have that kind of impact. I understand why they took the money. I don’t condone it, and I don’t agree with it.

“I’m sure they don’t care one way or another, but it disappoints me because I certainly enjoyed David Feherty as a broadcaster, and I certainly enjoyed Jerry Foltz as a broadcaster.

“But it disappoints me that they’re no longer around, and I don’t see them and I don’t get to work with them because I enjoy both of them.”