19th Hole
‘They’re not that bright’ – Brandel Chamblee says LIV stars will be ‘out of a job’ if merger goes through

There was never going to be a low-key reaction to Tuesday’s volcanic news of the the PGA Tour-PIF merger deal.
In the midst of the Canadian Open and Scandinavian Mixed, it seems every player has been asked their reaction to the stunning news. It has amazed many that Rory McIlroy – champion spokesman for the PGA Tour over the past few years – has even managed to swing the club this week, especially after receiving some abuse from those that clearly feel the system needs the chance to open up.
- Related: ‘One of the saddest days in the history of pro golf’ – Brandel Chamblee blasts PGA Tour-LIV merger
Away from the players, reporters have understandably hung on every word said by current PGA Commissioner Jay Monahan as well as McIlory, ultra pro-LIV Phil Mickelson and Brandel Chamblee, golf broadcaster and involved in some of the strongest public rows with Lefty and recent PGA Championship victor, Brooks Koepka.
Yesterday, Chamblee, analyst for Golf Channel, tweeted his thoughts on the potential linking up of the various organizations, boldly stating that he felt at some point, the merger would be blocked.
If it’s not blocked by the player board, it will likely be blocked by the DOJ, and if not that regulatory committee, the senate … and then the regulatory review of the EU and equivalent bodies in Asia. This is a long way from being a done deal. https://t.co/XajJYQh3yC
— Brandel Chamblee (@chambleebrandel) June 8, 2023
Responses were very much on the line that if stopped, players would go directly to LIV or a similar organization. Either way, that this would be a major problem for the PGA Tour (and associated companies).
The 60-year-old then appeared on the Rich Eisen Show to put across his position in person rather than via social media.
Host Eisen initially asked Chamblee how he was – referring to Koepka’s brutal tweet once Monday’s news had hit the media.
“I’m doing a welfare check on you – how are you?” asked the host.
His guest confirmed he was “very well,” while laughing as he spoke.
“How do you take that tweet from Brooks?” asked Eisen before being told, “I laughed at it.”
Chamblee then went to town, starting with a retort to Monday’s insult.
“If you can find any laughter in that day, the fact that they thought it as a cause of celebration was quite humorous on the LIV side. I don’t think they’re that bright,”
“Because if the deal goes through” Chamblee continued. “it will lead to the destruction of LIV, which means their boss – their route back to the PGA Tour – is Jay Monahan, and I believe, and their fine gets doubled, based on their gloating that day.”
Chamblee then went on to say how he felt things might progress for the most vocal of LIV players should they be involved in the association.
“So, Phil, Brooks, Bryson, I don’t think they fully understand the ramifications if the deal goes through. They are all out of a job.”
Explaining his thoughts, Chamblee continued.
“They’ll have no place to play golf other than major championships, who haven’t really made any movement to talk to LIV players, cos they have different parameters to the PGA Tour.”
“But I tell you,” he advised them, “their avenue back through golf is going to be a highly penalized one to play the PGA Tour.”
Now getting into the swing of it, Chamblee gives his damning verdict on the player’s behaviour over the past few months.
“They [Mickelson and Kopeka amongst others] wouldn’t have done their case any favors with their quoting on social media.”
Thanks to @chambleebrandel for the chat.
He thinks LIV is going away. I’m not so sure. Adult conversation within. https://t.co/xCOQ1MgzVA
— Rich Eisen (@richeisen) June 9, 2023
More from the 19th Hole
19th Hole
‘Don’t think I’ll sleep well tonight’ – LPGA pro offers candid take following rough AIG Women’s Open finish

An opening round of 77 left LPGA pro Jenny Shin with a mountain to climb at last week’s AIG Women’s Open.
However, fighting back with rounds of 69 and 67, Shin found herself six shots off the lead and just outside the top 10 heading into Sunday as she went in search of her first major victory.
Shin, who won the US Girls’ Junior at just 13, couldn’t back those rounds up on Sunday, though, and after playing her opening nine holes of the final round in level par, she then bogeyed three holes coming home to slip down the leaderboard and eventually finish T23.
Taking to X following the final round, Shin offered a frustrated and honest take on how she was feeling, posting: “Don’t think I’ll sleep well tonight. What a crappy way to finish.”
Don’t think I’ll sleep well tonight. What a crappy way to finish
— Jenny Shin (@JennyShin_LPGA) August 3, 2025
Shin has made 11 cuts in 13 starts on the LPGA Tour this season, but has been plagued by frustrating Sunday finishes throughout the year. Shin ranks 102nd on tour this year out of 155 for Round 4 scoring in 2025.
Miyu Yamashita won the 2025 AIG Women’s Open with a composed final round of 70 to win her first major of her career by two strokes.
19th Hole
How a late golf ball change helped Cameron Young win for first time on PGA Tour

Cameron Young won the Wyndham Championship on Sunday for his first victory on the PGA Tour.
Young dominated all weekend at TPC Sedgefield, running away from the pack to win by six strokes and put himself in contention for a Ryder Cup pick in September.
Ahead of the event, the 28-year-old switched to a Pro V1x prototype golf ball for the first time, following recent testing sessions with the Titleist Golf Ball R&D team.
Interestingly, Young played a practice round accompanied by Fordie Pitts, Titleist’s Director of Tour Research & Validation, at TPC Schedule early last week with both his usual Pro V1 Left Dot ball and the new Pro V1x prototype.
Per Titleist, by the second hole Young was exclusively hitting shots with the Pro V1x prototype.
“We weren’t sure if he was going to test it this week, but as he was warming up, he asked to hit a couple on the range,” Pitts said. “He was then curious to see some shots out on the course. Performance-wise, he was hitting tight draws everywhere. His misses were staying more in play. He hit some, what he would call ‘11 o’clock shots,’ where again he’s taking a little something off it. He had great control there.”
According to Titleist, the main validation came on Tuesday on the seventh hole of his practice round. The par 3 that played between 184 and 225 yards during the tournament called for a 5-iron from Young, or so he thought. Believing there was “no way” he could get a 6-iron to the flag with his Left Dot, Young struck a 5-iron with the Pro V1x prototype and was stunned to see the ball land right by the hole.
“He then hits this 6-iron [with the Pro V1x prototype] absolutely dead at the flag, and it lands right next to the pin, ending up just past it,” Pitts said. “And his response was, ‘remarkable.’ He couldn’t believe that he got that club there.”
Following nine holes on Tuesday and a further nine on Wednesday, Young asked the Titleist team to put the ProV1x balls in his locker. The rest, as they say, is history.
19th Hole
Rickie Fowler makes equipment change to ‘something that’s a little easier on the body’

Rickie Fowler fired an opening round of one-under par on Thursday at the Wyndham Championship, as the Californian looks to make a FedEx Cup playoff push.
Fowler is currently 61st in the standings, so will need a strong couple of weeks to extend his season until the BMW Championship, where only the top 50 in the standings will tee it up.
Heading into the final stretch of the season, Fowler has made an equipment switch of note, changing into new iron shafts, as well as making a switch to his driver shaft.
The 36-year-old revealed this week that he has switched from his usual KBS Tour C-Taper 125-gram steel shafts to the graphite Aerotech SteelFiber 125cw shafts in his Cobra King Tour irons, a change he first put into play at last month’s Travelers Championship.
Speaking on the change to reporters this week, Fowler made note that the graphite shafts offer “something that’s a little easier on the body.”
“I mean, went to the week of Travelers, so been in for, I guess that’s a little over a month now. Something that’s a little easier on the body and seemed to get very similar numbers to where I was at. Yeah, it’s gone well so far.”
Fowler has also made a driver shaft change, switching out his Mitsubishi Diamana WB 73 TX for a UST Mamiya Lin-Q Proto V1 6 TX driver shaft in his Cobra DS-Adapt X, which he first implemented a couple of weeks ago at the John Deere Classic.
However, according to Fowler himself, the testing and potential changes are not done yet.
“Probably do some more testing in some different weight configurations with them once I get some time. Yeah, I feel like we’re always trying to search, one, to get better but are there ways to make things easier, whether that’s physically, mentally, whatever it may be. So yeah, I thought they were good enough to obviously put into play and looking forward to doing some more testing.”
Fowler gets his second round at TPC Sedgefield underway at 7.23 a.m ET on Friday.