LIV Golf is a ‘Fail-Free’ Tour as Players Falter in Biggest Moments: Faldo

LIV Golf players, aside from Bryson DeChambeau, did not perform as well as expected at The Masters in mid-April, and one legend of golf is blaming the setup of the league for their faltering game.

Nick Faldo believes LIV Golf’s biggest names fell apart in the biggest moments, and it is due to their lack of drive and inability to play truly competitive golf on a regular basis.

He compared it to F1 Racing:

“If Max Verstappen only drove in a Formula One race four times a year, I’d be shocked if he could perform. You’ve got to be in the same arena all the time.”

Faldo, a three-time Masters Champion and one of golf’s all-time greats, was unimpressed with how LIV players performed. Many of the biggest names — Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Cameron Smith, and others — did not make the cut at Augusta.

Bryson DeChambeau managed to make the final pairing with a Sunday Showdown and a rematch of the U.S. Open with Rory McIlroy, the eventual champion. However, he fell to T7 after a sluggish Sunday round.

Rory McIlroy’s Cold Shoulder Toward DeChambeau During Masters Final Round Explained

The league's biggest assets, who left the PGA TOUR, are continuing to give an argument to the critics who have criticized them for not prioritizing their game. Faldo believes it is because LIV has no cut in its tournaments, and players are not necessarily admonished for poor play:

"They have a fail-free tour. They’ve got wonderful appearance fees and prize money galore and they’re guaranteed it next week whether they hit their hat or not. There’s no fear of failure, and that is a serious driving force. Cam Smith has gone quiet. Brooks has gone quiet. You can’t tell me that in some way it hasn’t affected them."

Koepka and DeChambeau are the only two LIV Golfers to win Major Championships since leaving the TOUR. Koepka won the PGA at Oak Hill in 2023, and DeChambeau won the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 last Summer.

However, these two players have been basically the only bright points for LIV in the Majors. Their play has not been consistent enough to fend off any true criticism.

Cover Image via WWLP