Golf analyst Brandel Chamblee has continued his war of words with Phil Mickelson by accusing the six-time major winner of causing ‘irreparable harm’ to professional golf with his switch in allegiance to LIV.
Golf’s civil war has been ongoing for several years now ever since the Saudi-backed league became a reality.
Mickelson was the first player swayed to make the switch by Greg Norman with many more following and Jon Rahm became the latest big-name star to make the switch.
The PGA have now been in negotiations with LIV since last summer to try and come to an agreement on the future of the sport and Tiger Woods led a group of players who met with Yasir Al-Rumayyan 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.
“But they got there, and they think, well, I did it all on my own, I’m going to get everything for me. I’m pulling the ladders up.
“I think Phil could have done a lot of good for the game of golf. Instead he’s really hurt the game.”
He added: “The derision should be directed at the people that tilted the game in this direction, and that’s Greg Norman and that’s Phil Mickelson,” Chamblee said.
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“I’m not saying Greg Norman is a terrible guy or Phil is a terrible guy. I’m not saying that. I’m just saying in my opinion they’ve made poor decisions, and it’s hurt the game. They’ve gotten richer, but the game has gotten poorer.
“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.”
