Brooks Koepka’s path back to the PGA Tour is open to 3 more LIV stars
Brooks Koepka is officially returning to the PGA Tour, and he may not be the only one filling LIV Golf.
On Monday, the PGA Tour announced the creation of the Returning Members Program, a temporary pathway back to the PGA Tour for select players who have called the tour home for at least the past two years. Koepka, who parted ways with LIV Golf on Dec. 23, will use the new system to return to the PGA Tour as a full-time member this season. PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp announced that reinstatement will be limited to players who meet “a criteria based on high performance. Players who won the Players Championship or any major between 2022 and 2025 are free to apply for reinstatement as a returning member until Feb. 2, 2026.
That means the list of LIV players eligible to use the method, if they choose, is very limited.
Only Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Cam Smith meet the criteria for the Returning Members Program. Rahm won the 2023 Masters, and DeChambeau beat Rory McIlroy in the 2024 US Open. Smith won both the Players and Open Championships in 2022 before moving on to LIV Golf.
Some big names like Joaquin Niemann, Patrick Reed, Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson do not meet the program’s limited criteria.
In a memo to the PGA Tour membership, Rolapp noted that the route may not return after the Feb. 1 title. 2.
“This is a one-time, defined window and is not a precedent for future situations,” Rolapp wrote in the memo. “Once the door is closed, there is no promise that the road will ever be found again.”
While the PGA Tour cleared the way for Koepka to return and compete immediately, the five-time major champion will face a financial penalty for leaving the PGA Tour for LIV Golf.
“Its strict limitations, which Brooks agreed to, include forfeiture of a potential five-year payout from the PGA Tour’s Player Equity Program, which represents the largest financial impact in the history of professional sports, and estimates that he could miss out on approximately $55-90 million in potential earnings, depending on his tournament performance and the growth of Tour Couple players on the Tour. And the Returning Members Program.” At the request of the PGA Tour, Brooks also agreed to make a $5 million charitable donation, the recipient(s) of which will be mutually determined.”
Koepka, who will play in the Farmers Insurance Open and the WM Phoenix Open, agreed to a stiff sentence.
“When I was a kid, I always dreamed of competing on the PGA Tour, and I’m as excited as today to announce that I’m returning to the PGA Tour,” Koepka said in a statement. “Being close to home and spending more time with my family makes this opportunity meaningful to me.
“I believe where the PGA Tour is headed is with new leadership, new investors, and an equity program that gives players a meaningful ownership stake. And I understand that there are financial penalties associated with this decision, and I accept them.”
As for the “Big Three” who could also use the limited-time method, it is currently unknown if there are any interested in following Koepka back to the PGA Tour.
DeChambeau, whose contract with LIV Golf expires after the 2026 season, said Koepka’s exit threw a curveball in his negotiations to re-sign with the Saudi-backed league. Rahm and Smith have not been open about their contract situations.
In the discussion of GOLF’s Subpar Podcast last week, Rahm told managers Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz that he had a “hunch” Koepka would leave LIV and hoped they could share lessons in the future.
“I wish him the best; I had a great time with Brooks on the golf course,” Rahm said. “Obviously the ’23 Masters (when he was in the finals), we were in that final in ’24 at the Greenbrier, we got into it in the Ryder Cup a couple of times. He’s always fun to play with, a fast, reliable guy. I wish him the best. Obviously I wish he could stay and I could continue to play with him, but hopefully we can compete in other events in the future.”
Rahm, DeChambeau and Smith now have the option to follow Koepka back to the PGA Tour if they choose, but the clock is ticking.
