Brooks Koepka appears to make first decision after LIV Golf exit

Where Brooks Koepka will ply his trade after his exit from LIV Golf has been the subject of intense speculation. 

LIV confirmed on 23 December the 36-year-old American will not be back for their fourth campaign which begins next month.

According to LIV Golf's chief executive, Scott O'Neil, the decision was made "amicably" so Koepka can "prioritise the needs of his family". 

Koepka has not spoken about his decision yet but the general assumption is that he will likely want to play some golf before the major season begins. 

The DP World Tour appears to be a likely destination, given Koepka has plenty of history playing in Europe. 

Koepka played on the Challenge (now HotelPlanner) Tour in 2012 before being promoted to the European (now DP World) Tour in 2013. 

Five-time major champion Koepka is not a fully exempt member of the DP World Tour but would be able to accept invitations from tournament sponsors. 

The first big tournament of the DP World Tour's 2026 season, the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, will take place in two weeks' time. 

The field for the first of five Rolex Series events was confirmed on Thursday but  Koepka's name was not included in the entry list. 

The Hero Dubai Desert Classic features a stacked field of European Ryder Cup stars and major winners. 

Rory McIlroy, Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood, Shane Lowry, Viktor Hovland and Patrick Reed are all playing. 

LIV recruits Dustin Johnson and Joaquin Niemann have accepted invites. There are three spots left so Koepka may join the field at a later date. 

Hatton is the defending champion. McIlroy will attempt to win the tournament for a fifth time. 

Will Brooks Koepka be allowed to play on the PGA Tour?

This has been the big question since Koepka's departure was announced. 

When the news broke, the PGA Tour released a provocative and cryptic statement. 

"Brooks Koepka is a highly accomplished professional, and we wish him and his family continued success," it read. 

"The PGA Tour continues to offer the best professional golfers the most competitive, challenging and lucrative environment in which to pursue greatness."

But will he able permitted to return?

Some high-profile players, such as Rory McIlroy, are open to the prospect of welcoming Koepka - and other LIV players - back into the fold. 

McIlroy explained on The Overlap that LIV players have "paid their consequences". 

He was referencing the damage caused to their reputations and the fact they have been locked out of the world ranking system. 

But McIlroy conceded that the decision to allow Koepka back was legally tricky. 

There has been an erroneous narrative put forward that Koepka will be permitted to return to the PGA Tour in August.

That is because it marks the one-year anniversary from his last LIV start. 

The North American circuit has issued one-year suspensions for players that have never played on the PGA Tour for competing in LIV events. 

But what about those who had PGA Tour status before playing LIV events? That needs clearing up. 

It may well be the case that Koepka could return in August, but the truth of the matter is that his punishment is unknown. 

Brandel Chamblee disagrees with Rory McIlroy

McIlroy's comments about Koepka sparked a fierce debate. 

It came as no surprise that former PGA Tour winner turned Golf Channel analyst, Brandel Chamblee, had plenty to say about the situation. 

As far as Chamblee is concerned, it's "good" that Koepka may want to return. 

But there needs to be consequences, he said. 

"To allow Brooks to come back with no consequence, I think, would undermine the meritocratic foundations that are the one thing that makes the PGA Tour legitimate," he said. 

"It's not about retributions. It's about setting a precedent.

"Institutions protect themselves by having rules that apply even to elite players—especially to elite players.

"And the PGA Tour is not just a showcase for great talent. It's an institution, and they function only if commitment has meaning, contracts have meaning, defection has consequences, and loyalty is not optional for elite players.

"If they allow Brooks to come back after leaving and causing or contributing to the disruption of the game and normalising defection to LIV, the message will be clear that the rules only apply to the expendable and not to the exceptional—and I think that's corrosive."

Read more about that here.