LIV Golf series has not been a favourite of golf analyst Brandel Chamblee ever since the formation of the series. He has recently openly criticized the leading LIV golfer, Phil Mickelson, in an on-air interview with Golf.com.
The former PGA Tour pro turned golf analyst said that Mickelson should be removed from the World Hall of Fame because he ‘dishonoured’ the game by joining the Saudi circuit.
LIV Golf is sponsored by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, and this nation has something to do with the 9/11 terrorist attack in America.
Brandel Chamblee spoke about Mickelson on Golf.com’s exclusive podcast, saying:
“I think Phil should be removed from the Hall of Fame. I don’t think he has any business being in the Hall of Fame. He’s caused irreparable damage to the game. And if the Tour’s philanthropic aspect dies, the autopsy should read LIV. It should read Phil.”
Chamblee also said in his interview that Mickelson was motivated by greed to join LIV Golf.
“When you look at the different players that defected to LIV, there was the you-wouldn’t-look-at-him-twice-in-Home Depot Taylor Gooch to the testosterone twin peaks of Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson to the flatulently egoed impresario Greg Norman,” Chamblee said.
“But Phil was the only one that could really make a difference. He was the only one and he was not motivated by altruistic thoughts. He was moved and motivated by greed and that titled the game in that direction,” he added.
Brandel Chamblee invites Phil Mickelson to his show.
Chamblee and Mickelson were seen going against each other in an argument on social media earlier this year. The golf analysts invited Mickelson to his show at the US Open for a debate on LIV Golf. However, the six-time champion was busy in tournaments.
In the interview with Golf.com, Brandel Chamblee again spoke about the debate and said that the veteran golfer is always welcome to his show.
“I told him he was welcome to come up on our set any time,” Chamblee said. “He passed it up saying that he was busy that week, but you know you get to come up. He wasn’t busy at six o’clock to eight o’clock. He could have popped up there for, you know made his case and look if he thought he would have come out on the winning side of that debate. He was like I don’t want you guys to make any more money.”
Brandel Chamblee added that if Mickelson would have popped up on his show, the golfer would have financially benefitted from that.
“First of all, you’re be going to on the set for 10 or 15 minutes. I doubt we’re going to be able to monetize that in any significant way. Phil again you overvalue your worth but the flip side of that is if he really thought he could win then he could have done great benefits to his team and LIV and he would have financially benefitted from that not us,” he said.