Brandel Chamblee Predicts LIV Golf's Demise After 'Bombshell' Announcement

The Golf Channel analyst believes the Saudi-backed tour may be coming to an end.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 8:06am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a professional golf tournament, with sharp planes of green, blue, and yellow overlapping to create a sense of motion and disarray, reflecting the turbulent state of the LIV Golf league.A cubist interpretation of the chaos and uncertainty surrounding the future of the LIV Golf tour.Augusta Today

According to multiple sources, a 'bombshell' announcement is coming that could rock the golfing world and potentially spell the end of the LIV Golf tour. Analyst Brandel Chamblee has predicted that the tour's poor performance at the Masters, with only one LIV player finishing in the top 30, could be the 'nail in the coffin' for the Saudi-backed league. Chamblee criticized LIV's format and lack of viewership, saying the Saudis may 'come to their senses and finally euthanize the whole lame-brained tour'.

Why it matters

The potential demise of LIV Golf would have major implications for the sport. Many top players, including Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm, defected from the PGA Tour to join LIV, attracted by the lucrative payouts. If LIV folds, those players would likely try to return to the PGA Tour, but it's unclear if they would be welcomed back. The fate of lower-profile players like Anthony Kim, who revived his career on LIV, also hangs in the balance.

The details

LIV Golf completely abandoned its identity this season, moving from a 54-hole format to 72 holes to align with the majors. This was seen as an opportunity for LIV's top stars like DeChambeau and Rahm to win a major, but they both missed the cut at the Masters. Only one LIV player, Tyrrell Hatton, finished in the top 30, and Sergio Garcia was given a code-of-conduct warning. Chamblee believes this poor performance could be the 'nail in the coffin' for the tour, which he says has been 'ill-conceived' and 'worse than anyone could have imagined'.

  • On April 15, 2026, multiple sources confirmed that a 'bombshell' announcement is coming that could rock the golfing world.
  • At the 2023 Masters tournament, LIV Golf players had a disastrous showing, with only one player finishing in the top 30.

The players

Brandel Chamblee

A golf analyst for the Golf Channel who has frequently criticized LIV Golf.

Bryson DeChambeau

A top professional golfer who defected from the PGA Tour to join LIV Golf.

Jon Rahm

A top professional golfer who defected from the PGA Tour to join LIV Golf.

Tyrrell Hatton

A professional golfer who is one of the few LIV players to have a strong performance at the 2023 Masters.

Sergio Garcia

A professional golfer who was given a code-of-conduct warning at the 2023 Masters for his behavior.

Anthony Kim

A professional golfer who revived his career by winning his first LIV Golf event this season.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Given that the product was so ill-conceived and ended up being worse than anyone could have imagined. With shotgun starts, initially 54 holes, a team concept that was nothing but laughable and tournaments that meant and continue to mean nothing, and such a paltry number of viewers, losing billions along the way – would it surprise anyone if the Saudis came to their senses and finally euthanized the whole lame-brained tour.”

— Brandel Chamblee, Golf Analyst

“🤯”

— Anthony Kim

What’s next

The details of the reported 'bombshell' announcement from LIV Golf are still unclear, but it could potentially lead to the demise of the Saudi-backed tour if the news is as significant as described.

The takeaway

The poor performance of LIV Golf players at the 2023 Masters, coupled with Brandel Chamblee's scathing criticism, has raised serious questions about the long-term viability of the Saudi-backed tour. If LIV Golf were to fold, it would have major implications for the sport, with top defectors like Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm potentially trying to return to the PGA Tour.