Former Open Champ Says PGA Tour’s ‘Biggest Brands’ Have Gone to LIV Golf

After his runner-up finish at the PGA Championship, Padraig Harrington lamented the loss of Bryson DeChambeau to LIV Golf.

This week, as the Irishman prepares for the Open Championship, he doubled down on these comments.

“What I realized last week? We miss Bryson… Bryson was box office last week.” – Padraig Harrington reflects on the state of golf, including PGA TOUR and LIV. @eamonlynch @damonhackGC pic.twitter.com/e9BuNmIxwX

— Golf Today (@GCGolfToday) May 22, 2024

In an interview with Golf Monthly, the two-time Open winner said the loss of colorful characters like DeChambeau has harmed the PGA Tour the most over the past two years.

Harrington said:

“We do need characters. I think we miss some of the LIV players. Thinking about it, there are some of the LIV players that didn’t get enough time to build their brand before they went. I found that interesting and I’ve been watching and wondering what that player is like, I don’t really know him, but I wonder what he would have been like.”

Harrington singled out Patrick Reed, who has long been a source of controversy – even before he joined LIV in 2022.

“I played with Patrick Reed at the PGA and I think him going to LIV made us realize how much we actually miss him on the PGA Tour. A lot of people would say he’s gone, who cares, whatever, but when he’s not there, you miss him. I talked to him about it and he loved the fact that he is that marmite character – people either love or hate him.”

Aside from the upcoming Olympic tournament, which will see LIV players from a number of nations (but not the U.S.) compete in Paris, this week’s Open Championship will be the last time that PGA Tour and LIV Golf players will be playing in the same tournament until the Masters next April.