No more waiting, no more speculation. The PGA Tour has drawn a line in the sand in its ongoing war with LIV Golf.
The PGA Tour was given a priceless opportunity to stick the nail in LIV Golf’s coffin when Brooks Koepka left the Saudi-backed league, and CEO Brian Rolapp seized it with both hands.
Koepka has been allowed to return to the PGA Tour in 2026, but not without punishment. He agreed to a $5 million charitable contribution, will not be eligible for FedEx Cup bonus money in 2026, or access to sponsors’ exemption in $20 million signature events for the next five years.
That offer extends to a select group of players currently on LIV. Those who have won a major or The Players Championship since the start of 2022 will be allowed to follow in Koepka’s footsteps. And those players, Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cameron Smith, have until February 2 to decide.
That means LIV’s biggest superstar, DeChambeau, has only weeks to meet that ultimatum and make a decision on his future, and the American’s feelings on his LIV Golf future have been revealed by an insider.
How Bryson DeChambeau really feels about his LIV Golf future
DeChambeau has quickly become LIV’s poster boy, but his contract with the tour expires at the end of the 2026 season, and he was expected to sign an extension by now. But that doesn’t look imminent, especially after golf insider Joel Beall’s report.
He wrote on Golf Digest: “DeChambeau is the wild card. Whispers suggest he wants out when his LIV contract expires this year. His asking price is steep, and he’s demanding more control over LIV’s direction.
“Tour officials recognize their exemption could serve as leverage in his negotiations. Still, it’s a chance to reclaim LIV’s two best players and block them from landing elsewhere, like the DP World Tour.”
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So while DeChambeau does not plan to jump ship from LIV Golf just yet, he also won’t be meeting the PGA Tour’s ultimatum, according to Beall. Expect DeChambeau and Rahm to be teeing off on LIV for next season at least.
But what’s interesting about the report is that acquiring DeChambeau isn’t Rolapp’s sole aim. By getting Koepka back and giving this deadline, the PGA Tour has handed DeChambeau all the leverage in the world, and that could cost LIV hundreds of millions.
LIV needs DeChambeau, and everyone knows it. The two-time major winner has even floated the possibility of leaving LIV for his highly successful YouTube channel during these negotiations.
So we can all expect DeChambeau to drive a hard bargain against LIV Golf in the coming weeks as the deadline counts down.
Why Bryson DeChambeau could return to the PGA Tour after February 2 deadline
In a letter following the announcement of Koepka’s return, Rolapp said, “This is a one-time, defined window and is not a precedent for future situations.”
That made it clear that the PGA Tour will not be offering Koepka’s deal to anybody else beyond the February 2 deadline, but it deliberately leaves the door wide open for players like DeChambeau in the future.
All the tour has effectively said is that this is a one-time deal. If any players want the same offer as Koepka, they must return imminently. But that doesn’t mean future deals won’t be on the table.
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DeChambeau can wait until his LIV contract expires, then negotiate with the PGA Tour ahead of the 2027 season. As long as his star status remains, Rolapp would likely welcome back one of the sport’s biggest stars back with open arms.
That doesn’t come without risk. If DeChambeau’s stock diminishes on what appears to be a dying tour in 2026, and his poor major form continues, then he risks not being accepted back on the PGA Tour next season. Especially if the tour continues to thrive without him.
But by betting on himself, DeChambeau may be able to negotiate a better deal than Koepka by returning next season, so as long as he performs, he can ignore Rolapp’s deadline.
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