Leaked: LIV Golf’s blunt message to Brooks Koepka that sealed his PGA Tour return

Brooks Koepka’s decision to return to the PGA Tour reportedly followed a clear message from LIV Golf regarding its expectations of players. While Koepka had been weighing his future for some time, largely due to family commitments, LIV’s position left little ambiguity.

As revealed by Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard, the breakaway league was prepared to move on from Koepka rather than retain a player who was no longer fully invested.

Koepka, 35, officially ended his LIV Golf contract on 23 December and was reinstated to the PGA Tour this week under the circuit’s new Returning Membership policy introduced by CEO Brian Rolapp.

• Rickie Fowler confirms Brooks Koepka's rumours before LIV exit

The move makes Koepka the first truly marquee name to leave LIV Golf, a significant moment even if the Saudi-backed league insists it was comfortable with the outcome.

The cost of coming back

Koepka’s return does not come without consequences. He will forfeit significant player equity over the next five years, make a $5 million charitable donation, and will not be eligible for FedEx Cup bonus payments. However, he can still compete for the $40 million prize purse at the season-ending Tour Championship if he qualifies — an update that was made after Koepka returned. 

The same deal was offered to Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith, but all three have rejected the terms and will remain with LIV Golf in 2026.

LIV Golf’s line in the sand

While Koepka’s departure has inevitably fuelled speculation about LIV Golf’s long-term stability, Hoggard believes the league was prepared for this moment — and in some ways, invited it.

Speaking on Golf Channel's podcast, Hoggard explained that Koepka had been unhappy almost from the moment he joined LIV in 2022, despite signing a reported $100 million deal and winning five individual titles.

More importantly, LIV Golf had little interest in persuading a disgruntled star to stay.

Hoggard revealed: 

“According to one source I spoke to at LIV Golf, essentially, the conversation between Brooks and the governor of the Public Investment Fund was, ‘If you’re not happy, we don’t want you here,’ with one year left on his contract. So that was a pretty easy conversation for Brooks to walk away from.”

Koepka’s frustrations were well known within the game. Despite his success on the course, he reportedly struggled with LIV Golf’s global travel demands and the extended periods spent away from his home in the United States.

Rickie Fowler confirmed this week that Koepka had been exploring a way out for some time, eventually opting to terminate his contract a year early once it became clear that LIV were not prepared to bend.

Hoggard also dismissed the idea that Koepka’s exit represents a “body blow” to LIV Golf, arguing that the league would only have been seriously shaken if Rahm, DeChambeau or Smith had followed him out of the door.

Koepka will make his PGA Tour return at the Farmers Insurance Open later this month, before teeing it up at the WM Phoenix Open — a tournament he has already won twice, in 2015 and 2021.

For LIV Golf, the message is unmistakable. The league is no longer chasing validation by holding onto unhappy stars. If players are not fully aligned with the project, LIV are prepared to move on — even if that means losing one of the biggest names in modern golf.