Golf news: Brooks Koepka makes statement return to PGA Tour after four years with LIV Golf
American golfer Brooks Koepka has made a statement return to the PGA Tour after a four-year stint with LIV Golf.
The move comes after the PGA instituted a new Returning Member Program that allows players who have been away from the American circuit for at least two years and have won The Players Championship or a major between 2022 and 2025 to return.
Koepka is the only LIV member to return to the PGA thus far.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Finn Littlewood considers what Koepka’s decision means for the future of the Saudi-backed tour.
Conditional return for Koepka
Koepka, a five-time major winner, will mark the start of his rejuvenated PGA career at the end of January.
Having stated that he made the switch back to “prioritise his family”, the 35-year-old added: “I believe in where the PGA Tour is headed with new leadership, new investors and an equity programme that gives players a meaningful ownership stake.”
In the wake of numerous players defecting to LIV Golf, the Tour has taken action to make players feel more valued financially, making it all the more appealing for returning players.
The American’s first PGA appearance will be at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in California, which gets underway on 29 January.
Despite not facing any sort of suspension from the Tour, Koepka is in line for significant financial reparations.
He has agreed to a charitable $5million donation and will also forego any FedEx Cup bonuses for the 2026 season, amongst other monetary repercussions spanning the next few years.
The PGA Tour stated that Koepka’s financial punishments are based on “potential earnings depending on his competitive performance and the growth of the Tour”.
Such repercussions highlight that while returning players may be welcomed back, they must also take responsibility for their original decision to leave.
Speculation around more defections
The introduction of the Returning Member Program, which remains open until 2 February, means that major winners Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Cam Smith are all eligible for a return to the PGA.
The trio have, however, denied any return this year.
Speculation has swirled for some time now about the potential of DeChambeau and co. returning to the Tour, especially after the 2024 US Open champion did not specifically rule out a return, but rather stated that he was “contracted through 2026”.
It could spell trouble for LIV Golf if their marquee players begin to return to the PGA given that LIV’s UK entity reported over $1.1billion in cumulative losses by the end of 2024 – that figure is likely to increase if other big players begin to leave.
Although LIV has deep pockets, it would surely only be a matter of time until the tour is deemed hopeless as its main selling point has always been the big names playing for the big bucks.
What could all this mean for other LIV members seeking a PGA return?
Six-time major winner Phil Mickelson most recently won the 2021 PGA Championship and is thus not within the eligibility rules.
Similarly, big names such as Dustin Johnson and Joaquin Niemann are not eligible for the new programme and would need a rule change to return to the PGA.
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