In a stunning reversal, five-time major champion Brooks Koepka is set to return to the PGA Tour just weeks after his departure from the Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit. His comeback, however, comes with an unprecedented financial penalty that the tour estimates could exceed $50 million.
The Cost of Coming Back: A One-Time Deal
Koepka's return is facilitated by a newly created "Returning Member Program," a one-time initiative approved by the PGA Tour's player-led board. The agreement, outlined in a memo from PGA Tour Enterprises CEO Brian Rolapp, is explicitly not a precedent for other LIV defectors.
The program is exclusively available to a select few: players who have won a major championship or The Players Championship between 2022 and 2025. This narrow window means only Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, and Cameron Smith are currently eligible alongside Koepka, and they have a mere three weeks to decide.
The financial repercussions for Koepka are severe. He must make a $5 million charity donation, decided jointly with the tour. Crucially, he will be ineligible for PGA Tour equity grants for five years and will not receive any FedEx Cup bonus money in 2026. The tour calculates the combined potential loss, depending on his performance and if he holds equity until age 50, could range from $50 million to $85 million.
Strict Terms and a Protected Field
Koepka's pathway back to the tour's most lucrative events is blocked. He cannot receive sponsor exemptions into the limited-field, $20 million signature events. He can only qualify by winning a standard PGA Tour event or via performance categories that reward current form.
In a move designed to protect full-time members, Rolapp confirmed that if Koepka does qualify for a signature event or the FedEx Cup playoffs, he will be added to the field without displacing another eligible player. For example, if he qualifies for the postseason, the 71st-ranked player would also gain entry.
Koepka, who admitted in a 2023 podcast that he joined LIV Golf for the money—reportedly a contract worth at least $100 million—acknowledged the harshness of the terms. In a brief interview, he stated, "It's a harsh punishment financially. I understand exactly why the tour did that – it's meant to hurt."
A Closed Door for Most LIV Players
The memo from Rolapp carried a firm tone, emphasising this is a "one-time, defined window" for a handful of elite players. "Once the door closes, there is no promise that this path will be available again," he wrote.
This leaves numerous other high-profile LIV Golf stars with no clear route back under this program. Notable players ineligible to return include Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Patrick Reed, England's Tyrrell Hatton, and seven-time LIV winner Joaquin Niemann.
Rolapp justified the unique arrangement by stating it strengthens the PGA Tour, responds to fan demand to see the best players compete, and holds defectors accountable after they earned substantial compensation elsewhere. Koepka is scheduled to make his return at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines later this month, exempt through 2028 due to his 2023 PGA Championship victory.
