Brandel Chamblee goes nuclear (!) on Jon Rahm before 2024 Masters
Golf Channel analyst and long-time LIV Golf critic Brandel Chamblee has launched an extraordinary broadside against reigning Masters champion Jon Rahm.
Golf Channel analyst and renowned LIV Golf critic Brandel Chamblee tore into Jon Rahm on the eve of the 2024 Masters.
Chamblee has made no secret of his disdain for the breakaway tour since its noisy debut in 2022.
Even before the LIV Golf League officially launched he was banging the drum against Saudi money in the game.
The pundit has made some wild suggestions such as calling for LIV's posterboy, Phil Mickelson, to be removed from golf's hall of fame.
Chamblee recently renewed his hostilities with Mickelson in an extraordinary interview with Golfweek.
And he also called out PGA Tour stars Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas for failing to support Rory McIlroy as he rallied against the breakaway.
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With the opening round of the 2024 Masters days away, Chamblee decided to heavily criticise the defending champion on Tuesday's broadcast of 'Live From The Masters'.
As far as Chamblee is concerned, Rahm's defection to LIV last December was 'not the tipping point' in bringing the game back together.
He was referring to Rahm's recent suggestion in a BBC Sport interview that he could be a 'catalyst' in peace negotiations between the Saudi PIF and the PGA Tour.
"I understood the weight that [my] decision could have and the impact it could have," Rahm said, as he also expressed a desire for the circuit to move to a 72-hole format.
Chamblee said: "Jon Rahm thought his departure was gonna be the tipping point.
"It wasn’t the tipping point at all, but generally speaking, I think that he went from being viewed as his own man to being somebody that could be bought.
"He went from being viewed as somebody who would state their principle very clearly of history and legacy, and then turns back on those principles for money and finances.
"The thread that runs through every single aspect of life, and none of us can really say who held the money that we have in our hands before we did, but when you know exactly who is paying you and exactly what they’re paying you for and at its core is malevolent in nature, you can’t pretend that the impulse to take the money is good when it was so heavily fertilized in greed.”
Chamblee previously declared he believed Rahm's appreciation for legacy and his deep knowledge of the history of the game would have prevented him from joining LIV.
Rahm, 29, joined LIV officially on 8 December 2023 for a reported £450m ($566.4m).
He is yet to win on the breakaway after five attempts.
Rahm comes into the 2024 Masters having played far fewer competitive rounds of golf compared to last year.
Despite that, Rahm contended his preparations haven't been hindered.
However Sir Nick Faldo recently told GolfMagic that Rahm may not be fully prepared for the challenge.
"He's been playing resort courses in his shorts," the three-time Masters winner blasted.
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