Jon Rahm singled out for praise by prominent LIV Golf critic

Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee believes lack of practice under pressure was a key reason why LIV Golf recruit Jon Rahm collapsed during the closing stages of the PGA Championship. 

But the former PGA Tour pro turned pundit did praise the Spaniard for facing the music in the immediate aftermath of his crushing disappointment at the second men's major of the year.

Rahm drew level with eventual champion Scottie Scheffler on Sunday just after making the turn and we were primed for an electric finish at Quail Hollow Club in North Carolina.

But the 2023 Masters champion came unstuck at the Green Mile, playing the final three holes in five-over par to tumble down the leaderboard. 

Chamblee rarely wastes an opportunity to tear into the PIF-backed breakaway tour and he believes where Rahm plies his trade outside of the majors played its part.

"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," Chamblee said. 

"When it mattered the most [on] 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 [DeChambeau] didn't, Rahm didn’t."

Chamblee later doubled down on X. 

"How else can anyone explain such a wide and precipitous drop off in form of all but a a few of LIV's players?

"After-all they poached the best that their petro-dollars could buy, but LIV's format and lack of competition is not an ideal way to keep their players competitive. 

"Why don't they go to 72 holes? Why don't they have an open qualifying for half of their spots? Why don't they play under tougher conditions? 

"We all know why. They don't care about the careers of their players, only the stigma of admitting to a failed idea."

Brandel Chamblee praises Jon Rahm

Despite his obvious disdain for LIV, Chamblee did praise Rahm for speaking to reporters after he returned his score card. 

Rahm would have been forgiven for making a quick getaway but spoke at length about how it felt to be back in contention to win a major. 

He said he would get over the disappointment quickly. 

"It's not the end of the world," Rahm said. 

"It's not like I'm a doctor or a first responder, where somebody if they have a bad day, truly bad things happen."

Chamblee said: "I have to give Jon Rahm a lot of credit, after playing the last three holes in five-over, going into the media centre and talking.

"And by the way, he was very good at talking about what it meant to be back contending in majors. 

"He also said that he hadn't had this much fun playing golf in a long time - alluding to perhaps his decision to go to LIV."