Brooks Koepka is officially returning to the PGA Tour, and there’s a chance he won’t be the only one making the move from LIV Golf.
On Monday, the PGA Tour announced the creation of the Returning Members Program, a temporary path back to the PGA Tour for select players who have called another tour home over the past two years. Koepka, who retired from LIV Golf on Dec. 23, will use the new program to return to the PGA Tour as a full-time member this season. PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp has announced that the return will be limited to players who meet “elite performance-based criteria.” Players who won the Players Championship or a major between 2022 and 2025 can apply to be reinstated as returning members through February 2, 2026.
That means the list of LIV players eligible to use the path, if they so choose, is extremely limited.
Only Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Cam Smith meet the criteria for the Returning Members Program. Rahm won the 2023 Masters, while DeChambeau defeated Rory McIlroy at the 2024 US Open. Smith won both the Players and Open Championships in 2022 before moving to LIV Golf.
Other big names like Joaquin Niemann, Patrick Reed, Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson don’t meet the program’s narrow criteria.
In a memo to the PGA Tour membership, Rolapp noted that this path may not return after the Feb. 2 headline.
“This is a one-time, defined period and is not a precedent for future situations,” Rolapp wrote in the memo. “Once the door closes, there is no promise that this trail will be available again.”
While the PGA Tour opened the way for Koepka to return and compete immediately, the five-time major champion will face a financial penalty as he leaves the PGA Tour for LIV Golf.
“The strict restrictions, which Brooks has agreed to, include a five-year forfeiture of potential shares in the PGA Tour’s Player Equity Program, which represents one of the largest financial impacts in the history of professional sports, with estimates that he could lose approximately $55-90 million in potential revenue depending on his competitive performance and the growth of the Tour,” Rolapp wrote in a memo to players announcing the return of Koepka and the Returning Members Program. “At the request of the PGA Tour, Brooks has also agreed to make a $5 million charitable contribution, the recipient(s) of which will be determined jointly.”
Koepka, who will play at the Farmers Insurance Open and WM Phoenix Open, agreed to the severe punishment.
“When I was a kid, I always dreamed of playing on the PGA Tour, and today I am just as excited to announce that I am returning to the PGA Tour,” Koepka said in a statement. “Being closer to home and spending more time with my family, this opportunity is especially meaningful to me.
“I believe in where the PGA Tour is going with new leadership, new investors and an equity program that gives players a meaningful ownership stake. I also understand that there are financial penalties associated with this decision, and I accept them.”
DeChambeau, whose contract with LIV Golf expires after the 2026 season, said Koepka’s departure threw a curveball into his negotiations to re-sign with the Saudi-backed league. Rahm and Smith have not openly discussed their contract situations.
In an interview on GOLF’s Subpar podcast last week, Rahm told co-hosts Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz that he “had an idea” Koepka would be leaving LIV and hopes they can share the course more in the future.
“I wish him the best; I had great times with Brooks on the golf course,” Rahm said. “Obviously during the ’23 Masters (when they were in the final pairing) we were in that playoff in ’24 at Greenbrier, where we played in the Ryder Cup a few times. He’s always fun to play with, a fast, honest guy. I wish him nothing but the best. I obviously wish he stayed and I could continue to play with him, but hopefully we can compete for other events or majors in the future.”
Rahm, DeChambeau and Smith now have the option to follow Koepka back to the PGA Tour if they choose, but the clock is ticking.
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