The PGA Tour welcomed Brooks Koepka back from LIV Golf this week, but the five-time major champion had to pay a price for it go back through the doors of the global house.
Koepka was officially reinstated Monday through the newly created “Returning Member Program” path The one-time clause allows any player who won a major or players between 2022 and 2025 to return to the PGA Tour, but the path back comes with a stiff financial penalty.
To return to the PGA Tour, Koepka agreed to pay $5 million to charity and agreed to forfeit potential equity in PGA Tour Player Equity Program for a period of five years. PGA Tour projects could cost Koepka anywhere from $55 million to $90 million. Koepka is also ineligible for the 2026 FedEx Cup Bonus payments. This bonus pool originally included the $40 million awarded in the tournament championship, but a rules govern the PGA Tour announced Thursday changes the equation for Koepka.
As part of an adjustment to the FedEx Cup points allocation, the tournament’s $40 million purse is now “Official Money,” which is separate from the “FedEx Cup bonus fund.” Koepka is eligible to play his way into the FedEx Cup Playoffs. While he won’t be able to collect any of the FedEx Cup bonus money, he will be able to compete for the $40 million tournament championship purse if he plays his way to East Lake.
The winner of the tournament’s championship receives $10 million.
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The LIV CEO’s response to Brooks Koepka’s return to the PGA Tour said something unheard of
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The nine-time PGA Tour winner said in a statement that he is fully on board with the financial penalty PGA Tour imposed and is excited to make his return to the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines.
The Returning Member Program also opens the door for Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith to return by February 2, but all three committed to stay with LIV at the minor league media day in West Palm Beach, Florida, this week.
“Yeah, I mean, look, I’m signed through 2026, so I’m excited about this year,” DeChambeau said.
Added Rahm: “I’m not planning on going anywhere. Very similar answer to what Bryson gave. I wish Brooks the best. As for me, I’m focused on the league and my team this year, and hopefully we can repeat as champions.”
“I know I’m here to stay. I’m here to support LIV,” Smith said. “I’m a captain of a great team and a great group of people. I’m happy where I’m at. I’m proud of where I’m at. I think we do a lot of great things, especially in Australia, and I can’t wait for this league to continue to grow.”
Koepka was one of the first PGA Tour players to defect to LIV, joining the Saudi-backed league for its second event in 2022. Koepka had admitted he made the decision because of uncertainty surrounding his health and long-term prospects as a top player. But Koepka won the 2023 PGA Championship and has said he might have made a different choice if he had known his health and game would recover from a difficult spell.
