Brandel Chamblee, a former golf professional and commentator for LIV Golf, shared insights on what President Donald Trump thinks about the LIV Golf League.
Chamblee, who’s been quite critical of the Saudi-backed league, discussed Trump’s perspective during an appearance on Trey Wingo’s podcast.
“About a year and a half or two years ago, I played a round with President Trump, and we spent a lot of time talking about LIV. He mentioned, ‘I know we don’t see eye to eye on LIV, but I’d like to hear your thoughts on why it persists,'” Chamblee recalled.
He added that Trump remarked, “‘First off, Yasir (Al Rumayyan), who heads PIF, is passionate about golf—perhaps even more than us. Secondly, they play the long game. With $32 trillion worth of oil, they need to diversify their economy for specific geopolitical and long-term political reasons, which is why they are investing in golf.’ According to Trump, they’re committed to LIV and determined to make it work.”
“Perhaps they’re making the necessary adjustments to remain competitive with the PGA Tour,” Chamblee noted, reflecting on Trump’s comments.
“This might lead to the establishment of Q-schools, the development of new stars, and increased support for women’s golf,” he added. “They’re likely trying to find a natural way to boost golf in Saudi Arabia, which could evolve some of the country’s outdated social policies, so it’s not surprising that Western nations would contribute to golf’s growth there.”
Chamblee expressed confidence that LIV Golf is here to stay, regardless of public opinion.
“I think they’re not going anywhere—that’s for sure,” he said. “They’re committed to diversifying their economy, and golf is a solid avenue for tourism. They’ve seen how well other nations have utilized golf.”
“I genuinely don’t believe they will disappear,” he added.
LIV Golf continues to pursue several PGA stars.
