LIV Golf statement issued after Brooks Koepka cleared to return to PGA Tour

LIV Golf wasted little time in making its feelings known after confirmation emerged Brooks Koepka has been cleared to return to the PGA Tour this month. 

Within minutes of the PGA Tour rubber-stamping Koepka’s comeback under a newly created Returning Membership rule, LIV Golf published a pointed statement on social media — doubling down on its mission, its values and its belief that the world’s best players should be free to compete wherever they choose.

The statement landed just weeks after Koepka sensationally walked away from LIV Golf with one year still left on his contract, ending a spell that saw him win five times on the breakaway league.

Now, the five-time major champion is officially back in the PGA Tour fold, and he has since broken his silence. 

Koepka is set to tee it up later this month at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines from 29 January to 1 February, before heading straight into the cauldron of the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale — the scene of his first PGA Tour victory back in 2015.

Why is Brooks Koepka allowed back on the PGA Tour?

Koepka’s return has been made possible by a newly introduced Returning Membership policy, confirmed by PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp.

The rule applies to players who:

• Have been away from the PGA Tour for at least two years
• Have won a major championship or The Players Championship since 2022

As a five-time major winner, Koepka qualifies without question.

Crucially, the policy could also open the door for Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Smith — all of whom boast major or Players Championship pedigree.

However, time is of the essence.

Any LIV player hoping to follow Koepka’s route back must act within the next three weeks — and crucially, before a deadline that falls just two days ahead of the start of the 2026 LIV Golf season.

The cost of coming home

There is no sugar-coating the price Koepka is paying.

Under the terms of his return:

• He will be ineligible for the PGA Tour Player Equity Program for five years (2026–2030)
• He will not receive any FedEx Cup bonus money in 2026

That could cost Koepka anywhere between $50 million and $85 million in potential earnings.

He has also agreed to make a $5 million charitable donation of his choosing — a payment that forms part of what the PGA Tour described as “heavy and appropriate financial consequences”.

Koepka has publicly acknowledged the scale of the sacrifice — and there was no resistance from the American.

But while the PGA Tour opened the door, LIV Golf made it clear it has no intention of backing down. Read LIV Golf's statement below: 

The LIV Golf statement read as follows:

From the outset, LIV Golf has championed an open ecosystem and freedom, for all. Not just for a limited few. One that supports players' rights to compete across various platforms, reinforcing the belief that the growth of the game is best served when the game’s best players are empowered to seek the most competitive environments around the world.

LIV Golf’s vision remains unchanged - to grow the game of golf globally - and as that vision gains momentum across the broader golf landscape, the capacity to deliver on it continues to strengthen by expanding pathways and opportunity beyond any single institution or interest.

As the world’s golf league, LIV Golf continues to offer the best professional golfers the most competitive, challenging, and lucrative environment in which to pursue greatness on a global scale.

Long LIV Golf

What do you make of the PGA Tour's decision to let Koepka immediately back following his shock exit from LIV Golf? 

Share your thoughts in the comments section below, or come and join the debate over on GolfMagic's social media channels.