The five-times major winner and former world No1 Brooks Koepka has quit LIV Golf with immediate effect to “spend more time at home”, a decision which will fuel talk of a return to the PGA Tour.
The 35-year-old American had one year left on his deal worth more than $100million (£74million) with the Saudi-backed breakaway circuit, which he joined in 2022 when the divisive league poached a number of golf’s biggest stars from the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, sending the sport spiralling into a civil war.
The PGA Tour suspends players who take part in LIV Golf events worldwide, with non-members banned for a year from the date of their last LIV outing. Koepka could, in theory, play on the DP World Tour in 2026. Towards the end of the 2025 season, he competed in a string of DP World Tour events.
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He is already eligible to play in the four majors because of his five-year exemption for winning the 2023 PGA Championship.
Koepka’s shock departure has been labelled as “amicable” by LIV Golf which, in a statement released on Tuesday, said Koepka would be “prioritising the needs of his family and staying closer to home”.
“Brooks Koepka will be stepping away from LIV Golf,” the statement read. “He is deeply grateful to Yasir Al-Rumayyan [the governor of the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund], Scott O’Neil [LIV chief executive] and the LIV Golf leadership team, his team-mates and the fans.”
Koepka’s management team said: “Family has always guided Brooks’ decisions, and he feels this is the right moment to spend more time at home. Brooks will continue to be a huge supporter of LIV Golf and wishes the league and its players continued success. Brooks remains passionate about the game of golf and will keep fans updated on what’s ahead.”
Koepka was captain of the Smash team on the LIV Tour and that leadership role will now be passed to his former team-mate Talor Gooch.
The PGA Tour said in a statement: “Brooks Koepka is a highly accomplished professional, and we wish him and his family continued success.
“The PGA Tour continues to offer the best professional golfers the most competitive, challenging and lucrative environment in which to pursue greatness.”
