Ever since Phil Mickelson joined LIV Golf, he hasn’t been able to catch a break. Critics, fellow pros, and fans have all had something to say. Above all, Brandel Chamblee has never shied away from speaking his heart out about the 45x PGA Tour winner. He’s called out Mickelson for everything from his controversial 2014 Ryder Cup behavior to his recent ‘insanely idiotic comments.’ Chamblee never misses a chance to take a jab at LIV Golf.

His latest remarks about Phil Mickelson on a recent podcast cut especially deep. The remarks come in the context of Phil doing the bidding for LIV Golf in early 2022 to recruit new players. The host, Trey Wingo, mentioned how he was playing with Phil at the Sentry ProAm in January 2022. There, Brandel was quick to share his story of why the 6x major winner was there. “Yeah. And he [Mark Rolfing] went out to say hi to Phil, and Phil openly told him that he was there recruiting players to go to LIV,” said Chamblee.

The outspoken golf analyst dismissed Mickelson as “persona non grata” in professional golf, claiming the six-time major champion has become irrelevant. “So there are a lot of reasons why Phil is persona non grata,” said Brandel Chamblee in a conversation with Trey Wingo.

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Mickelson was in the field for the Sentry Tournament of Champions. He finished tied 30 at 14 under par with rounds of 71-69-70-68. Shortly after this, he openly expressed his unhappiness with the PGA Tour. However, there was more to the story than just this, according to Chamblee. The first reason for him was that he was doing the bidding for LIV and Greg Norman. Secondly, he was also involved in a lawsuit directed against the PGA Tour for suspending licenses after participation in LIV Golf events.

There was one other major reason why Brandel called Mickelson irrelevant, and it was a direct comparison to his demeanor on the field. On the podcast, Trey Wingo hinted at what Phil told him about him being more relaxed at LIV Golf compared to on the PGA Tour. Chamblee replied, saying, “I could say that golf really only matters when people care. And by Phil saying he’s relaxed out there, I think just underpins the fact that it doesn’t matter.”

For many followers, this isn’t a new sight. For a while now, Brandel Chamblee has taken jibes at Mickelson on multiple occasions since he joined LIV Golf. For instance, when he passed this comment about LIV being more relaxed, Chamblee called out Mickelson’s comments as “insanely idiotic.”

While Mickelson called it relaxing, many golfers have said that the LIV global schedule has hidden challenges. Kevin Na spoke about how the LIV circuit’s global schedule takes a physical toll on the body. The extended travel, extreme climates, and the sheer number of transitions between tournaments can become hectic.

Statistically speaking, there has been some truth to this. It’s not just limited to Phil Mickelson. Several LIV golfers have struggled to maintain top form, with inconsistent results and missed cuts fueling criticism of the league’s demanding schedule.

LIV Golfers struggle to keep performing

Many golfers who joined LIV Golf did so with an outlook to take on a new challenge. Despite other factors, the concern was always around performance, too. Yet, since the move, they’ve experienced a notable decline in their performance. This is clearly visible when they participate in major championships. A report shared on X by PGA analyst Ron Klos shows that out of 18 golfers who participated in at least three majors after joining LIV, 14 performed worse on average in those majors compared to their three-year strokes gained averages before joining LIV.

Golfers like Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, and Cam Smith have all seen drops in their strokes gained metrics in majors after joining LIV. The only individual who has impressed and improved his game after joining LIV is Bryson DeChambeau, and, to some extent, Tyrrell Hatton.

Jon Rahm’s SG/rd declined from 2.58 to 1.50, Brooks Koepka’s SG/rd declined from 2.56 to 1.30. Meanwhile, Dustin Johnson declined from 2.55 to 0.48. As for Bryson DeChambeau, it increased from 1.41 to 2.11, and Hatton increased from 1.08 to 1.34.

All in all, LIV Golf has faced criticism for its shallow fields. These can make tournaments less challenging and take a toll on players’ performance. Chamblee’s critiques aren’t entirely off base in this regard, as several golfers have struggled to maintain form after joining the league.