What others are saying about Brooks Koepka's move from LIV Golf

Rumors of Brooks Koepka’s desire to return to the PGA Tour have swirled for some time, but on Tuesday, the five-time major champion finally severed ties with LIV Golf.

Kopeka is a DP World Tour member and is eligible to play in the majors in 2026, thanks to his 2023 PGA Championship victory at Oak Hill.

As far as a return to the PGA Tour, he likely wouldn’t be eligible to play until August 2026. Former LIV players have had to wait one calendar year since the last competition day on LIV Golf to return to the PGA Tour, which means Koepka wouldn’t be eligible until after the 2026 Tour Championship.

As the news dropped, a number of golf pundits weighed in on the news. Here’s a smattering:

Brandel Chamblee

Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee said that time has “exposed” LIV Golf after Koepka’s move, calling the circuit “an ephemeral, flamboyant make-believe tour.”

Time has elevated the PGA Tour for what it is, the most competitive, legitimate and profitable tour in the world. Time has exposed the LIV tour for what it is, an ephemeral, flamboyant make-believe tour that can neither further the professional game nor the careers of the players… https://t.co/Zdo52vh3zF

— Brandel Chamblee (@chambleebrandel) December 23, 2025

Dan Wolken

Former USA Today columnist and current Yahoo scribe Dan Wolken said: “Still just 35 years old, it was obvious to anyone paying attention that he long considered his jump to LIV Golf a mistake — not for any moral reason, but for the most Koepka reason possible. As Scottie Scheffler ascended to all-time greatness, Rory McIlroy completed the career Grand Slam and the PGA Tour effectively won the war for golf relevance, the five-time major champion caught a case of FOMO that could not be cured by the Saudi dollars rolling into his bank account.”

Brooks Koepka caught a case of FOMO that Saudi dollars couldn’t cure. His return to the PGA Tour can’t come a moment too soon. My ⁦@YahooSports⁩ column. https://t.co/qM8KeYBjwG

— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) December 23, 2025

Eamon Lynch

Golfweek’s Eamon Lynch, in a column written just before Koepka’s departure, said selling the PGA Tour brethren on Koepka’s return might be tricky.

“More diplomatic and prescient types would be keen to facilitate a return in the knowledge that it would be a blow to LIV, but they wouldn’t waste the effort on seat-warmers like Matt Wolff or Talor Gooch. It would have to be someone of stature whose defection would be a clear plus for the PGA Tour. Current context also matters. The Tour is shrinking — fewer exempt members, likely fewer tournaments, narrowing access pathways — so selling the locker room on readmitting a LIV defector demands a tightly defined criteria.”

The PGA Tour needs a plan for when a LIV star comes knocking. The path back isn’t complicated. https://t.co/GsfPUvzle1

— Eamon Lynch (@eamonlynch) December 20, 2025

Adam Schupak

Our PGA Tour reporter Adam Schupak noted that more time on the DP World Tour might be appealing to Koepka.

Brooks started his career on DP World Tour. Always talks about those being his best days. Could be going full circle next year to get ready for majors.

— Adam Schupak (@AdamSchupak) December 23, 2025

Joel Beall

Golf Digest’s Joel Beall said this pairing was “doomed from the start,” but added in another tweet that “this is not LIV Golf’s eulogy. It’s a soft power exercise not a sports league, and has unlimited resources still at disposal.”

Brooks Koepka and LIV was a relationship doomed from the start. Here was golf’s ultimate gamer turned into a barnstormer. The guy who took pride in not being told what to do, joining a circuit backed by people who unequivocally and absolutely tell everyone what to do. He said…

— Joel Beall (@JoelMBeall) December 23, 2025

Dan Rapaport

Dan Rapaport of Skratch Golf mentioned that Koepka’s departure shows how the instability of LIV Golf’s footing, especially in light of its team format.

Brooks leaving shines a light on how fragile LIV Golf really is. It’s all built on stars, there’s no real ecosystem that exists beyond them. Which is natural for a brand new league. But man. Now that Brooks is gone, like, what is Smash Golf Club?

— Dan Rapaport (@Daniel_Rapaport) December 24, 2025

Will Bardwell

Will Bardwell, who writes for multiple golf publications, offered Koepka some sage advice.

Brooks, if they offer a going-away party at the consulate, DO NOT GO

— Will Bardwell (@LyingFour) December 23, 2025

Kevin Van Valkenburg

The Fried Egg writer pointed back to a column from his days at No Laying Up, but the sentiment is still true: Koepka could be a major piece of a LIV Golf crumble.

Never wrong, just early. https://t.co/XOFNw1MZZ9

— Kevin Van Valkenburg (@KVanValkenburg) December 23, 2025

James Colgan

James Colgan of Golf Magazine noted the timing of the news release, which was certainly peculiar.

If you’re a golf fan trying to make sense of how much this Brooks Koepka news *actually* matters, consider the fact that LIV waited until 5 p.m. on the day before Christmas Eve to announce he was leaving.

You wouldn’t hide from the news cycle if BK leaving didn’t matter!

— James Colgan (@jamescolgan26) December 24, 2025

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: What others are saying about Brooks Koepka’s move from LIV Golf