Brooks Koepka’s welcome return to the PGA Tour will divide opinion in the golf world, but why was he allowed to return after leaving LIV Golf and what does it mean for the sport?
Just weeks after the five-time major champion confirmed his departure from the LIV Golf League, the PGA Tour announced that Koepka had reinstated his PGA Tour membership under the new Returning Member Program established in advance of the 2026 season.
Koepka is currently free to play on the PGA Tour and is scheduled to return at the Farmers Insurance Open from January 29 to February 1, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, but the eligibility criteria behind his return is a unique and complex scenario.
Koepka fell outside of the world’s top 200 during his time at LIV Golf.
Why was Koepka suspended in the first place?
Koepka last played in a regular PGA Tour event in March 2022 and has been ineligible since joining LIV Golf in July of the same year, subject to immediate suspension if all PGA Tour members play on the Saudi-backed circuit.
Major winners Bryson DeChambeau, Sergio Garcia, Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Patrick Reed and Cameron Smith all made the move during LIV Golf’s first year, along with Ryder Cup favorites Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood.
Koepka was able to play in the majors for the next three and a half years, before the American announced his departure from LIV Golf in December 2025 “amicably and by mutual consent” with one year remaining on his contract.
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Why was Koepka allowed to return?
Koepka’s efforts to restore membership to the PGA Tour led to the launch of the Returning Member Program, which is described as providing “a route to reinstatement for elite performers who no longer have contractual restrictions that prevent them from following the rules and regulations of the PGA Tour.”
The changes were made to “bring the world’s best players back to the PGA Tour” and “to make the PGA Tour stronger,” and the new program and its standards would only be approved after approval by a player-majority board of directors.
Only players who have been away from the PGA Tour for at least two years and have won The Players or a major in the past four seasons are eligible for the program, and Koepka is one of only four golfers who fall into that category.
Who else could return under the new program?
DeChambeau, Smith and Jon Rahm are all active players in the LIV Golf League and could be allowed to return to the PGA Tour under a similar ruling, but as of January 12, none of the trio has applied to have their membership reinstated.
Bryson DeChambeau last played in a regular PGA Tour event in 2022.
The PGA Tour has made it clear that this is a current offer and not an indication of future action, and that if the three players wish to return next year they will have until February 2nd, two days before the start of the new LIV Golf season.
If a returning member refuses the financial implications of being welcomed back, he or she may instead face additional disciplinary action or a delay in being allowed to participate in the tournament.
What punishment will Koepka receive when he returns?
The PGA Tour described the financial penalties for returning members as “severe and appropriate conditions,” and Koepka was required to make a $5 million charitable donation as part of his reinstatement.
Koepka will be ineligible to earn equity from the Player Equity Program for the next five years. The program was introduced to reward players for on-course performance and provides an equity subsidy to PGA Tour Enterprises, the for-profit entity that holds the tour’s commercial assets.
He will also miss out on payments from the FedEx Cup bonus program for the 2026 season, with the PGA Tour estimating that Koepka’s potential lost earnings could total around $51 million to $85 million (about £38 million to £63 million).
What events can Koepka compete in?
Following his success at the 2023 PGA Championship, Koepka will be exempt until the end of the 2028 PGA Tour season, allowing the former world No. 1 to immediately return to full-field events on the PGA Tour as a free agent.
Following his return to the Farmers Insurance Open, he is scheduled to play in the WM Phoenix Open a week later and is also scheduled to play in the PGA Tour’s flagship event, The Players, this March, although he must qualify for a “signature event” and is not eligible for sponsor exemptions.
By winning a PGA Tour event or finishing in the top 30 in the world, Koepka will be eligible to participate in signature events, limited-field tournaments that offer increased prize money and FedExCup points. They will also qualify via the Aon Next 10, which is the top 10 players who have not yet been exempted from the FedExCup standings.
The returning members will be eligible to play in the season-ending FedExCup Playoffs, and Koepka will represent USA in the Presidents Cup this September and could compete in the TGL if he so chooses.
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How does this affect other players?
The PGA Tour said it would expand the field if necessary to “ensure fairness” for all involved, and that the new ruling would not reduce playing opportunities for current members.
CEO Brian Rolup insisted that the company “continues to aggressively pursue anything that improves the fan experience and strengthens the PGA Tour,” calling the company’s approach “suited for unique circumstances.”
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If another player leaves LIV Golf and wishes to have their membership reinstated, that player will be disciplined for playing in an “unauthorized event” and face a lengthy (though not publicly specified) delay before participating in any PGA Tour-related tournaments.
What does this mean for professional golf?
It remains unclear whether Koepka’s return to the PGA Tour will pave the way for DeChambeau to follow suit, and given that the two-time U.S. Open champion falls under a similar ruling, it remains to be seen if he will sign a new contract extension with LIV Golf.
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Speaking in November, Rory McIlroy called LIV Golf’s decision to expand the event to 72 holes “bizarre”
As of January 12, LIV Golf had yet to make any significant signings for the new campaign, with previous additions including three-time DP World Tour winner Victor Perez and England’s Rory Canter, and several PGA Tour players have denied rumors of their departures during the off-season.
A framework agreement announced in June 2023 to unify the men’s game has yet to provide a solution to unite golf’s biggest tour. Who fills the open spot on LIV Golf’s roster before the season opens on Feb. 4 could indicate how players perceive their long-term place in the sport.
LIV pledges commitment to “open ecosystem”
Following this news, LIV Golf released a statement reaffirming its commitment to growing the game of golf globally for everyone.
“From the beginning, LIV Golf has championed open ecosystems and freedom for everyone, not just a select few,” the statement said.
“We support the right of players to compete across a variety of platforms, reinforcing our belief that the game grows best when the game’s best players are empowered to seek out the most competitive environments around the world.”
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