It’s not a secret that most top analysts in the sport don’t like LIV Golf. Famous golf expert Brandel Chamblee is one of the biggest critics of the Saudi-based league. And LIV Golf’s recent struggles are giving them the opportunity to question the product even more harshly. Eamon Lynch also joined the fray in sharing why he thinks the league failed.

Lynch told Golf Channel’s panel of experts, “Asking me why it failed to catch on is like asking me to pick one snowflake out of a blizzard. There are a lot of reasons. It was a dumb idea, it was badly executed, odious funding, it had incompetent leadership, unlikable players, no respect for what the fans appreciate or treasure about the game, no values other than cash, trigger-happy on lawsuits, the victim mentality; any one of those things could be compromising the product. Taken together, it’s pretty much fatal.”

The NBC Sports analyst didn’t hold back on his thoughts about LIV Golf. While some of the comments may come off as harsh, issues like dubious funding, lawsuits, and poor execution certainly played a major role in their downfall.

LIV Golf got a lot of negative publicity after 11 players, including big names like Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau, filed a lawsuit against it in 2022. The illegal suspension appeal didn’t stand in court as Judge Freeman gave them a reality check of the consequences they are suffering because they decided to switch to LIV Golf.

They started suffering when PIF pulled the funding and left them in a challenging position. This shows a lack of planning, even after the league had completed four seasons. It also reflects on their poor execution of the product and business strategy to remain sustainable. And what they are doing now to survive hasn’t impressed Lynch as well.

“Scott O’Neil, their CEO… He’s trying to sell a deck chair on the Titanic by saying you will have a beautiful view of the iceberg. His best-case scenario is a greatly diminished circuit, probably playing for pennies on the dollar, not the $30 million purses. The Saudis have the deepest pockets in sports, and they grew tired of being picked over by washed-up players and drifters. The New Orleans event has been postponed, players are openly looking at the exit, vendors are worried about getting paid.”

Scott O’Neil is believed to be actively looking for investors, as per Joel Beall of No Laying Up. But after PIF pulled the plug, it would be difficult for anyone to trust the product. Especially considering the aging talent of LIV Golf.

The average age of LIV Golf players is nearly 36 years (35 years and 11 months). Some of their captains, namely Mickelson, Ian Poulter, and Lee Westwood, are all over 50 years of age. With a limited roster and fewer gateways for players to join the league, they don’t leave a good impression on potential investors about their future.

That said, there are other issues LIV Golf is facing right now. And one of them is coming from one of the biggest names on their roster.

Scott O’Neil & Co. are facing issues within the LIV Golf roster

LIV Golf is certainly not having the best year in 2026. Scott O’Neil is already struggling with finding investors to keep the product running. But it will be difficult for him to convince anyone to invest in them, considering how the roster has reacted this year.

Phil Mickelson has been missing from the events for nearly the entire season so far. In the seven tournaments they have had, he has only appeared in one of them. He also skipped the PGA Championship this week, citing a family emergency. Being the captain of HyFlyers GC and one of the biggest promoters of LIV Golf, his absence has had a huge impact on LIV Golf’s value.

However, the most alarming issue is the fact that Jon Rahm is looking for ways to exit the league. After the news about PIF withdrawing their financial support broke out, the Spaniard has been concerned about his future in the league.

Rahm told the media, “I’ll say I’m also not a lawyer. I have no idea. I couldn’t tell you. I have very few talents in my life, and reading a contract or business are not two of them. Again, like you just said, as of right now, I have several years on my contract left, and I’m pretty sure they did a pretty good job when they drafted that. So I don’t see many ways out, and as of right now, I’m not really thinking about it since we still have a season to play and majors to compete for. So it’s not something I want to think about just yet.”

He seems eager to understand his terms with LIV Golf. He’s unsure of what decision he might take after this season. While Rahm might stick around in LIV Golf for 2026, O’Neil & Co. might lose his services going into next season. And with him already joining the DP World Tour again, he certainly has a place to go if things with LIV Golf fall apart.

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