If Brooks Koepka is not currently allowed to return to the PGA Tour within a year of his last LIV Golf start, the five-time major champion faces being suspended until the FedEx Cup Fall in 2026.
The news that Brooks Koepka had indeed left LIV Golf came in December. Almost immediately, the PGA Tour released a statement where they wished the 35-year-old well.
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The PGA Tour have never been given greater reason to bend their own rules when it comes to players who have left LIV Golf.
All eyes are on the PGA Tour following Brooks Koepka’s exit from LIV Golf
It currently appears that Koepka will not be able to play on the PGA Tour until August – one year after he finished 50th at LIV Golf Indianapolis. Of course, with the playoffs going on at the time, Koepka would presumably have to wait until the fall events to make his return.
The PGA Tour faces something of a dilemma. The opportunity to open the door to Koepka will clearly be incredibly tempting.
Koepka was one of the biggest names to leave the PGA Tour for LIV Golf. So welcoming him back with open arms would present Brian Rolapp and the tour with a chance to make a statement. It would also send a message to any other notable players considering leaving the breakaway league.
But that is also a risk.
Clearing the pathway for players to make an immediate return from LIV Golf may tempt other players considering a move from the PGA Tour to actually try it for themselves.
It is potentially a gamble worth taking if Koepka thrives back on the PGA Tour. But Koepka is a player with more major wins than victories in regular PGA Tour events.
He also had a pretty dreadful season on LIV by his standards. His most recent top 10 came back in March. That is hardly the form of someone who would be ready to hit the ground running.
There are perhaps some parallels that can be drawn between Koepka’s situation and where Jordan Spieth found himself 12 months ago.
The warning Jordan Spieth issues the PGA Tour with as Brian Rolapp faces a dilemma over Brooks Koepka
There was renewed optimism surrounding Spieth heading into the 2025 season. He had undergone surgery on the wrist injury which had plagued him for years.
Although he was always going to need time to get back towards his best, there was clearly hope that the turning point in Spieth’s career had arrived.
Unfortunately, the 2025 season proved to be underwhelming. Spieth finished fourth twice, while he had just one top 10 in the signature events. Ultimately, he failed to make it past the first FedEx Cup playoff event and will now be relying on sponsor invites to the signature events early on in 2026.
Spieth came in for criticism for not playing more in the fall.
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The 32-year-old remains a big name in the game. But on the course, he is nowhere near the level he reached at the start of his career. It was telling that he was barely mentioned as a contender for a captain’s pick for the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black.
There are differences between Koepka and Spieth. Four of Koepka’s five majors have come since Spieth won his last. Meanwhile, the former Smash GC captain won the PGA Championship as recently as 2023.
Koepka is not someone you can rule out.
But Koepka is seemingly content to spend a year on the DP World Tour. His first win at the highest level came on the European circuit in 2014, while he was previously a star on the Challenge Tour.
The PGA Tour may be able to have their cake and eat it too
It may benefit the PGA Tour a lot more in the long run if they opt against bending the rules for Koepka. He can then have a season to find his feet again; regularly playing tournaments over 72 holes where he does not need to worry about any teammates.
The PGA Tour is in such a strong position right now. They do not necessarily need to change all of their rules to welcome Koepka back sooner than expected – particularly if he is not yet ready to compete with the likes of Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy.
Should those at Ponte Vedra remain patient and hold their ground, they may be able to have their cake and eat it too.
They will be able to keep the rules in place which provide a deterrent to anyone considering joining LIV – and they may eventually end up with Koepka playing at a level where he can really make a difference over a sustained period.
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