LIV Golf has dropped a bombshell in revealing Brooks Koepka will depart the league immediately despite a year remaining on his deal, officials confirmed on Wednesday.
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Koepka, who joined LIV in its first season in 2022, becomes the first superstar to exit the league early.
LIV Golf posted a “thank you, Brooks” image on social media. When contacted by Australian Golf Digest, the league said through a statement: “We have amicably and mutually agreed that Brooks Koepka will no longer compete in the LIV Golf League, following the 2025 season. Brooks is prioritising the needs of his family and staying closer to home. We appreciate the significant impact he has had on the game and wish him continued success, both on and off the course,” LIV CEO Scott O’Neil said.
Koepka did not publicly comment, although his team also communicated via a statement on his behalf.
“Brooks Koepka will be stepping away from LIV Golf,” the statement read. “He is deeply grateful to Yasir Al-Rumayyan, Scott O’Neil, and the LIV Golf leadership team, his teammates, and the fans. Family has always guided Brooks’s 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.”
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Rumours had been swirling that Koepka would sit out the 2026 season and that the Floridian was finally done with the league after publicly expressing frustration with it. “I think we all hoped it would have been a little bit further along, and that’s no secret,” Koepka said earlier this year. Koepka also acknowledged at the 2023 Masters he might not have joined had his game and health been in a better state the previous year.
Koepka, 35, became the first contracted LIV golfer to win a major at the 2023 PGA Championship at Oak Hill. But in 2025, he struggled and missed the cut in three of the four majors while also not registering a win on LIV, where he had just two top-10 finishes and was 31st among 54 players in the individual standings.
O’Neil was asked earlier this month about speculation that Koepka wanted out of the league and would sit out the 2026 season. O’Neil said: “We haven’t made any announcements on players, but he is signed for 2026.”
The five-time major winner’s path back to the PGA Tour is unclear, as golfers who tee up in a LIV event have typically been suspended from the PGA Tour for 12 months since their most recent LIV start. Koepka, if he chooses, could reapply for PGA Tour membership. The Tour would then determine any disciplinary action, and whether he would have to serve a suspension and if so for how long.
Koepka played four tournaments on the DP World Tour at the end of this season, including a fourth at the French Open. He is also exempt into all four majors in 2026.
The PGA Tour wished Koepka and his family the best and said it “continues to offer the best professional golfers the most competitive, challenging and lucrative environment in which to pursue greatness.”
