“It matters where you play to be sharp, to be at your best, to test yourself against the best, which they’re not playing against the best week in and week out. Scottie Scheffler is, at the highest level. When it mattered the most, 16, 17 and 18, when you had to hit shots, when you had to control your nerves, when you had to control the rhythm of your golf swing, Scottie had it, Bryson didn’t, Rahm didn’t.” Brandel Chamblee did not mince his words after the PGA Championship. The second major of the season saw Scottie Scheffler win comfortably with a 5-stroke lead over Bryson DeChambeau, Harris English, and Davis Riley.

Chamblee used the victory to reaffirm the PGA Tour’s standing in comparison to LIV Golf. However, there is one voice that vehemently disagrees with Brandel Chamblee. That is Dan Rapaport.

In his podcast, Dan Rapaport made the situation very clear. Chamblee has tunnel vision about LIV Golf. The majors are the only yardstick that can be used to measure the LIV Golfers with the pros competing on the PGA Tour. Chamblee argues that LIV Golfers underperform at the majors. But Rapaport does not think so. “Bryson DeChambeau literally won the US Open last year. He went to LIV in 2022. Nothing has changed between when outlasted Rory at Pinehurst and now.” The journalist stated. “I think this whole narrative about LIV makes guys uncompetitive. I think we got to retire it.” The podcast host further added.

The biggest indictment against LIV is their underperforming stars. Brooks Koepka, had won the PGA Championship just a few months after joining the Saudi-backed Tour. But since then he has had underwhelming performances after underwhelming performances at the majors. Koepka even missed the cutline at both the majors in 2025. The likes of Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson have also been underwhelming in the majors.

“Golf is an individual sport and everyone is going to react to a change in circumstances differently. Is it entirely possible that LIV Golf might have changed some guys’ calculus and their priorities? Absolutely. It sure seems like Dustin Johnson is not really locked in. Brooks Koepka, I don’t know, maybe he is having motivation issues.” The difference in performance between one set of players like Koepka or Dustin Johnson and the other set like Rahm and DeChambeau could be attributed to their bearings rather than LIV Golf as a whole. “Two things can be true. It clearly affected those guys and it is clearly not affecting Rahm or Bryson.” Rapaport went on.

DeChambeau joined LIV Golf in 2022. Since then he has had a very effective run in the majors, notching seven top-10 finishes in 11 tournaments. This includes the 2024 US Open victory and runner-up finishes at the 2024 and 2025 PGA Championship. This is his best run in the majors, as before LIV Golf he had only registered two top-10 finishes.  “Bryson is playing better than he ever has. That contradicts the argument. They made choices. DJ, He has maybe made a choice to not practice as much.” Ben Boskovich, who was with Rapaport on the latest episode accentuated the point.

This is not the first time that Chamblee has spoken against LIV Golf. The former PGA tour pro has been against the Saudi-backed Tour since its inception.

Brandel Chamblee’s war against LIV

Back when LIV announced it’s deal with Fox Sports, Chamblee went on the offensive. He first questioned the ethics behind the deal. “Looking forward to the specific financials… Did Fox pay a rights fee, or was this another time buy?”  Chamblee commented while making an appearance on the Foreplay Pod.

In another instance, Chamblee compared LIV Golf to pickleball. This time he was a guest of Dan Rapaport on his Dan on Golf show. “I got the numbers wrong in one of my tweets last week. I said their year-end event that concluded on the east coast in prime-time last year with Rahm winning got 55,000 [viewers]. It actually got 89,000.  But whether it’s 55 or 89 the point is still the same. Relatively speaking, nobody’s watching. More people will watch a pickleball event than that.” The Golf commentator had explained.

There is a debate about the superior tour, no doubt about that. But we would like to hear from you. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.