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Brooks Koepka may have returned to the PGA Tour after a stint at LIV Golf, but don’t expect the other biggest stars in the Saudi-backed league to join in.
Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith all pledged to stay put when they spoke to reporters Tuesday during a preseason news conference.
“I had no idea, no idea that this would happen.” » said DeChambeau. “I have no idea what the sanctions would be. Right now I have a contract. I can’t wait to see what we can do at LIV Golf this year.”
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Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm walk to the eighth green during the first round of the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club on June 2, 2022. (Adam Cairns/The Columbus Dispatch)
“I made the decision to come here and spend more time at home, and I’m not giving it away. I’ll be on LIV for years,” added Smith, who won the 2022 Open Championship shortly before officially committing to LIV.
DeChambeau and Smith are each gone in 2022, but Rahm may have been the biggest surprise. Previously very outspoken against LIV, he joins the league in December 2023.
In August 2024, he shut down rumors of buyer’s remorse towards PK Press Club Digital, and that still appears to be the case.
“I don’t plan on going anywhere. Very similar answer to what Bryson gave. I wish Brooks the best. As for me, I’m focusing on the league and my team this year, and hopefully we can be champions again,” Rahm said.
Koepka’s decision came weeks after he revealed he would be leaving the rival series.
“I would like to thank my family and my team for their continued support at every stage of my professional career,” he wrote on social media. “As a kid, I always dreamed of competing in the @PGATOUR, and I’m just as excited today to announce my return to the PGA TOUR. Being closer to home and spending more time with my family makes this opportunity especially meaningful for me.
Brooks Koepka of the United States waves to the crowd on the 5th green during the first round of the British Open golf championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland, July 17, 2025. (Peter Morrison, AP file/photo)
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“I believe in the direction the PGA TOUR is heading with new leadership, new investors and an equity program that gives players meaningful participation,” he continued. “I also understand that this decision carries financial sanctions, and I accept them.”
Koepka said he plans to compete in the Farmers Insurance Open and the Waste Management Phoenix Open in the coming weeks.
Brian Rolapp, CEO of the PGA Tour, said Koepka’s return sparked the member return program for those who have left the company and may decide to follow in Koepka’s footsteps.
Rolapp said Koepka agreed to a few conditions upon his return to the PGA Tour. This included “a five-year forfeiture of potential capital in the PGA Tour’s player equity program, representing one of the largest financial repercussions in the history of professional sports, with estimates that it could miss out on approximately $50 million to $85 million in potential revenue, depending on its competitive performance and the growth of the Tour,” according to Rolapp. Koepka will also make a $5 million charitable donation to a yet-to-be-determined organization.
Brooks Koepka during the second round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at Quail Hollow. (Aaron Doster-Imagn Images)
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Koepka became the first person to return to the PGA Tour after defecting to LIV.
