Brandel Chamblee brutally tears into Jon Rahm and LIV Golf with comical ‘sideshow’ dig
Brandel Chamblee, a vocal critic of LIV Golf, has criticized Jon Rahm for joining the new tour, comparing his decision to signing a “Faustian pact.” Chamblee believes that Rahm, a two-time major champion, made a questionable choice by joining the breakaway tour.
Golf analyst Brandel Chamblee has claimed that Jon Rahm has compromised his integrity by signing with LIV Golf, reducing himself to a mere spectacle in the sport.
The NBC announcer believes that two-time major champion Rahm and his LIV Golf associates have made a deal that compromises their independence as PGA Tour members in exchange for wealth from Saudi Arabia.
Rahm signed a lucrative contract worth around £400 million with the breakaway tour in December, making him one of the most prominent additions to LIV since its establishment in 2022.
The Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) financially supports the league and has secured agreements with well-known players such as Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, and Brooks Koepka for significant sums, along with lucrative prizes at tournaments.
Chamblee has emerged as a polarizing figure in discussions about LIV’s role in golf, often criticizing the tour and its golfers for what he believes is harm inflicted on the sport.
Chamblee, 61, believes Rahm has lost his status as one of golf’s superpowers since turning his back on the PGA Tour, instead becoming part of a “vaudeville act” – a farcical stage show popular in the United States in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Speaking to former PGA Tour star Scott Verplank on his podcast, Chamblee thinks Rahm knows he has sold out. The outspoken broadcaster said: “The music was blaring, he had shorts on, and he was getting pretty pissy about somebody taking a picture of him in the middle of his swing.
“And it just hit me. It just hit me…. and I thought, this guy went from essentially having a lead role in The Godfather to now being a sideshow vaudeville act.
“And all these players, it seems to me, realise that they’ve all made a Faustian pact. All of them. They’ve all sold their independent nature. Independent contractors is what they were referred to when playing the PGA Tour.
“When they were independent they could go wherever they wanted, play any tour they wanted, play at any time they wanted, were free to skip any event they wanted and they were pretty much able to say and do anything they wanted. But now, they’re not.”
Rahm made his LIV debut last month in Mexico and he has finished third, eighth and fifth in three appearances so far. The reigning Masters champion had previously insisted he would remain with the PGA Tour and was not interested in joining LIV.
But his stunning move to the breakaway tour in December was a seismic moment in the battle between the rival competitions, striking a huge blow to the PGA Tour and sparking fears of an exodus of players joining LIV in the coming months.
Rahm clarified his reasoning for the decision he made recently. He emphasized the importance of not overlooking the fact that there has been a significant change in how golfers are rewarded.
He admitted that the financial aspect played a major role in his decision.
In summary, he highlighted that he will be earning more money for playing the same sport while also having more free time.
He expressed his satisfaction with this arrangement, stating that it sounds appealing to him.
Rahm stated that his decision to join LIV was also influenced by the framework agreement between the PGA Tour and PIF, which was announced last summer but has not been finalized yet.
