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Brooks Koepka may have returned to the PGA Tour after a stint at LIV Golf, but don’t expect the Saudi-backed league’s other biggest stars to be around.
Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith all committed to sticking around when they spoke to reporters Tuesday at a preseason press conference.
“I had no idea, no idea that was going to happen.” DeChambeau said. “No idea what the penalties would even be. Right now I’ve got a contract. I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do at LIV Golf this year.”
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Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm walk to the eighth green during the first round of the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club on June 2, 2022. (Adam Cairns/The Columbus Dispatch)
“I made a decision to come out here and spend more time at home and I’m not giving that away. I want to be at LIV for years to come,” added Smith, who won the 2022 Open Championship shortly before officially committing to LIV.
DeChambeau and Smith each departed in 2022, but Rahm was perhaps the biggest surprise. Once very outspoken against LIV, he joined the league in December 2023.
In August 2024, he shut down rumors of buyer’s remorse for Pakinomist Digital, and that still appears to be the case.
“I’m not going to go anywhere. Very similar answer to what Bryson gave. I wish Brooks the best. As far as I’m concerned, I’m focused on the league and my team this year and hopefully we can repeat as champions again,” Rahm said.
Koepka’s decision came just weeks after he revealed he would be leaving the rival franchise.
“I would like to thank my family and my team for their continued support through every step of my professional career,” he wrote on social media. “When I was a kid I always dreamed of competing on the @PGATOUR and I’m just as excited today to announce my return to the PGA TOUR. Being closer to home and spending more time with my family makes this opportunity especially meaningful to me.
Brooks Koepka of the United States acknowledges the crowd on the 5th green during the first round of the British Open golf championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland, July 17, 2025. (Peter Morrison, File/AP Photo)
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“I believe in where the PGA TOUR is headed with new leadership, new investors and an equity program that gives players meaningful ownership,” he continued. “I also understand that there are financial penalties associated with this decision and I accept them.”
Koepka said he planned to participate in the Farmers Insurance Open and the Waste Management Phoenix Open in the coming weeks.
PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp said Koepka’s return sparked the returning membership program for those who left the company and might decide to follow in Koepka’s footsteps.
Rolapp said Koepka agreed to a few conditions when he returned to the PGA Tour. That included a “five-year forfeiture of potential equity in the PGA Tour’s Player Equity Program, representing one of the largest financial impacts in professional sports history, with estimates that he could miss out on approximately $50-85 million in potential earnings, depending on his competitive performance and the growth of the Tour,” according to Rolapp. Koepka will also make a charitable donation of $5 million to an organization yet to be determined.
Brooks Koepka during the second round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at Quail Hollow. (Aaron Doster-Imagn Photos)
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Koepka became the first person to return to the PGA Tour after defecting for LIFE.
