“The next best thing is rivalries”: Golf analyst Brandel Chamblee challenges Rory McIlroy as Patrick Reed rejoins the PGA Tour amid the teegate rivalry

For now, Brandel Chamblee has boldly stated the PGA Tour has good days while LIV has awful ones. Why? The return of the old rivalries is probably bringing what the sport and fans needed all along. “The next best thing is rivalries,” Chamblee said to the Golf Channel. “There is sort of a Rory-Patrick Reed rivalry that’s been dormant for the last few years. Maybe that comes back.”

According to Brandel Chamblee, the Rory McIlroy-Patrick Reed conflict may resurface because the return of LIV golfers, who are "a little rough around the edges," brings their aggression. Well, there is no created drama between the two; instead, there is a genuine animosity, with McIlroy primarily on the losing side, that started in the 2016 Ryder Cup singles match.

Patrick Reed lets the crowd bully Rory McIlroy

Patrick Reed allowed the crowd to tease the Northern Irishman by wagging his finger and cupping his ear, and applied several other psychological strategies. It was described by viewers as an "adrenaline-fueled slugfest."

The strategy worked; the US won the 2016 Ryder Cup. Two years later, the Masters confirmed the same. Reed once again emerged triumphantly, preventing McIlroy from reaching his career Grand Slam. What insinuated it more was his major-less decade. In 2023, with the "Teegate" event, the rivalry reached a breaking point.

Reed reached the 2023 Hero Dubai Desert Classic a year before switching to LIV. Reed reportedly went up to McIlroy to say hello, but McIlroy, who earlier was a fierce opponent of the league, ignored him. Reed, in response, threw a LIV Golf t-shirt at McIlroy, and the entire feud became known as "Teegate." Later, McIlroy disclosed that he had received a subpoena from Reed and his legal team. They had named McIlroy as a witness in Reed’s antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour.

Rory McIlroy "avenged" the last few losses to Reed by winning the tournament with a 20-footer on the last hole. That win was sweeter than it ought to have been. Let's fast-forward to January of 2026. Reed won the Dubai Desert Classic by 12 shots, and McIlroy finished T33.

What’s the business side behind Brandel Chamblee’s claim?

Rivalry-driven conflict is the single biggest motivator of fan involvement, according to decades of sports study. Studies show that audiences are far more likely to tune in when outcomes carry personal or emotional stakes tied to specific athletes. The 2024 World Series between the Yankees and Dodgers saw the revival of an enmity that was dormant for more than forty years. 15.2 million people watched that league, the highest since 2017.

Patrick Reed and Rory McIlroy have a similar personal rivalry. Fans are interested in more than just who is the best golfer. They watch it for the outcome of a certain competition. McIlroy fans went crazy when he won the Masters, and 19.5 million people watched on CBS.

Anyway, rivalries have influenced golf's commercial success. The Jack Nicklaus-Arnold Palmer rivalry of the ’60s used to generate major television viewership and gallery presence. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson had the same thing between 2000 and 2010. This narrative strength has become a proven tool for converting profits. By bringing back LIV players, this is what the PGA Tour would need next.



Get the latest WPL 2026 updates including WPL teams, full WPL 2026 schedule, and live scores for Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, UP Warriorz, Gujarat Giants, and Delhi Capitals. Also check the latest WPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.