LIV Golf heads into the 2026 season in a unique situation once again, with talks over a merger with the PGA Tour seemingly on ice.
There was real hope 12 months ago that a deal between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf would come in 2025. However, as 2026 looms, it appears that the two tours are going to continue down their separate paths.
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Despite the stalemate, LIV Golf appears to be here to stay. Their initial momentum seems to have stalled, but they have certainly secured their seat at the game’s top table.
However, perhaps LIV Golf could be about to suffer a blow which throws the league’s future into some doubt.
LIV Golf may be heading into uncharted territory amid Brooks Koepka speculation
It was reported this week that there is a chance that Brooks Koepka will not play on LIV Golf in 2026.
The five-time major champion’s contract with the league expires at the end of the upcoming season. But it appears to not be out of the question that Koepka could walk away before the new campaign begins.
It remains to be seen if the 35-year-old does decide to leave. Koepka would have to pay a significant sum to terminate his contract. It would certainly be less hassle for him to stay one more year, even if he is unhappy.
With that, it would be an enormous setback for LIV if Koepka did indeed do what he needed to get out of his contract.
Koepka is not the force he once was. He has not won in more than a year. Meanwhile, his last top 10 in a major came when he won the 2023 PGA Championship.
However, Koepka is a much bigger asset to the league than Sebastian Munoz or Dean Burmester, for example, the players who finished fourth and fifth in the standings in 2025.
What would the impact of Brooks Koepka leaving LIV Golf be?
LIV have also yet to have a big name make the jump back to the PGA Tour. It will happen at some stage. Given how different LIV is, there is not a chance that every single player who made the move will be entirely happy with their decision.
Clearly, many are more than pleased with their decision.
So it is going to be fascinating to see what happens if someone of Koepka’s stature does leave – particularly if he goes without an immediate pathway back to the PGA Tour.
LIV Golf may get a taste of their own medicine after talks with Phil Mickelson in 2022
Perhaps other players will be encouraged if Koepka leaves – in the same way that Phil Mickelson flirting with LIV in 2022 must have had an impact on those who also received interest from the breakaway league.
A move would not bring LIV down on its own. But it would certainly take golf into uncharted territory if someone on Koepka’s level decided to pay to get out of their contract a year early.
And it would be a further boost to the PGA Tour who have weathered the LIV storm and seem to be in the ascendancy again.
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