Brooks Koepka’s four-year contract with LIV Golf expires at the end of the 2025 season, which has left many to speculate about where the five-time major winner will play in 2026.
Could he play on the PGA Tour again? Or will he remain with LIV Golf?
Last week, Fred Couples put this decision in the limelight as he indicated that Koepka yearned to return to the PGA Tour.
“I talk to Brooks Koepka all the time,” Couples told Seattle’s KJR 93.3 FM on Mar. 3.
“He wants to come back. I will say that: I believe he really wants to come back and play the Tour.”
Fast forward to this week. Koepka, who tied for 35th last week in Hong Kong, is in Singapore for the fourth LIV Golf event of the season. He addressed the comments Couples made on Wednesday.
“Fred texted me after the comments came out. I don’t know when it was — sometime last week. Yeah, everybody seems to have their own opinion and no one asks me,” Koepka said.
“I talked to Fred quite a bit, but we don’t go too much into detail about what’s going on. Like I’ve said before, I’m not in those rooms. I’ve got a contract obligation out here to fulfill, and then we’ll see what happens.”
Koepka then discussed the PGA Tour rumors head-on, failing to commit to either LIV Golf or the tour.
“I don’t know where I’m going, so I don’t know how everybody else does,” Koepka added.
“Right now I’m just focused on how do I play better, how do I play better in the majors, how does this team win, and then we’ll figure out next year and how to play better again. It’s the same thing. It’s just a revolving cycle. I’ve got nothing. Everybody else seems to know more than I do.”
Three years ago, at the U.S. Open at Brookline, Koepka arrived in Massachusetts as a newly married man. He had spent time away from the PGA Tour to focus on his wedding, as he played in only two events in the two previous months: The Masters and the PGA Championship.
But the most prominent topic of discussion that week revolved around LIV Golf. The Saudi-backed circuit had just held its first event in London, where Koepka’s brother, Chase, played and tied for 33rd along with the Phil Mickelson.
The mood at The Country Club was filled with trepidation, as any one of the top players in the world, including Koepka, could jump to LIV at a moment’s notice. Nobody knew what the future of professional golf looked like. Rumors of potential LIV prospects also percolated around the property all week.
“LIV is trying to make a big push for golf,” Koepka said in his pre-tournament press conference at Brookline.
“I love my brother. I support him in anything he does. It’s family. I’ll always love and support him. Whatever he does, I’m cheering for him.”
Koepka was then asked why he decided to stay on the PGA Tour.
“There’s been no other option to this point, so where else are you going to go?” Koepka said.
“As of last week. That’s it. I wasn’t playing last week. I’m here. I’m here at the U.S. Open. I’m ready to play U.S. Open, and I think it kind of sucks, too, you are all throwing this black cloud over the U.S. Open. It’s one of my favorite events. I don’t know why you guys keep doing that.
“The more legs you give it, the more you keep talking about it.”
Reporters then pressed Koepka further.
“I haven’t given it that much — I haven’t given it that much thought,” Koepka said.
“I don’t understand. I’m trying to focus on the U.S. Open, man. I legitimately don’t get it. I’m tired of the conversations. I’m tired of all this stuff.
“Like I said, y’all are throwing a black cloud on the U.S. Open. I think that sucks. I actually do feel bad for them for once because it’s a shitty situation. We’re here to play, and you are talking about an event that happened last week.”
Not even two weeks after Koepka sat before the press at The Country Club, the five-time major winner had a tee time at LIV Golf Portland, the league’s second event. He has played on LIV ever since. He also became the first active LIV Golf player to win a major the following year at Oak Hill, so Koepka has no regrets about switching tours.
Yet, revisiting his comments is interesting. Koepka never indicated that he was LIV Golf bound in Massachusetts, but never ruled it out. He did not disparage the Saudi-backed circuit, referencing the “shitty” situation many players found themselves in. The press slammed any player who joined LIV Golf, citing their greed and affiliation with an authoritative regime.
He struck a similar vein this week in Singapore, not ruling out a PGA Tour return. Who knows how things will play out. But if Koepka’s comments from the 2022 U.S. Open serve as any indication, him playing on the PGA Tour again is undoubtedly on the table.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Follow him on X @jack_milko.
