Brooks Koepka is officially heading back to the PGA Tour in January 2026 after leaving LIV Golf in late December, following approval of a newly created “Returning Member Program” designed to bring select elite players back to the circuit — at a significant financial cost.
The Returning Member Program, approved by the PGA Tour’s Board of Directors and announced Monday, applies only to players who won a major championship or The Players Championship between 2022 and 2025. Based on that criteria, Koepka is eligible alongside Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith. Those players have a limited window to apply, and Tour leadership emphasized the program will not be repeated or expanded in the future.
The five-time major champion, who signed with LIV Golf in 2022, will make his PGA Tour return at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines on Jan. 29, followed by the WM Phoenix Open the next week. Under the terms of the agreement, Koepka will forfeit eligibility for PGA Tour equity grants for five years (2026–2030) and will not receive FedEx Cup bonus money during the 2026 season. He must also make a $5 million charitable donation, with the recipient to be determined jointly with the Tour. PGA Tour officials estimate the total financial impact — depending on performance and long-term equity value — could range from $50 million to as much as $85 million, calling it among the steepest financial consequences ever imposed in professional sports.
Koepka will be fully exempt on the PGA Tour through 2028 based on his 2023 PGA Championship victory and will again be eligible for events such as the Presidents Cup and the TGL indoor league. To compete in those tournaments, he must qualify through existing pathways such as winning an event, finishing inside designated performance categories like the Aon Next 10 or Aon Swing 5, or maintaining a top-30 position in the Official World Golf Ranking. If he qualifies, the Tour will expand tournament fields to ensure no current member loses a spot.
PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp outlined the framework in a memo to players, describing Koepka’s case as a “unique situation” and making clear the initiative is not a standing invitation for other LIV players. Rolapp stressed that the goal was to strengthen the Tour while protecting opportunities for loyal members and responding to fan interest in seeing the top players compete together again: “Only those who have recently achieved the highest accomplishments in the game are eligible to return to the PGA Tour, where the best players in the world compete, week in and week out. This is a one-time, defined window and is not a precedent for future situations. Once the door closes, there is no promise that this path will be available again … Ultimately, by accepting membership in the Returning Member category, Brooks is making the decision to return to the PGA TOUR now — something our fans want, and something that strengthens both the game and our organization.”
Koepka said in a phone interview: “I’ve got a lot of work to do with some of the players. There’s definitely guys who are happy, and definitely guys who will be angry. It’s a harsh punishment financially. I understand exactly why the tour did that — it’s meant to hurt. But it (his departure) hurt a lot of people.” In a separate statement, Koepka emphasized personal and professional reasons for coming back: “When I was a child, I always dreamed about competing on the PGA Tour, and I am just as excited today to announce that I am returning to the PGA Tour. Being closer to home and spending more time with my family makes this opportunity especially meaningful to me. I believe in where the PGA Tour is headed with new leadership, new investors, and an equity program that gives players a meaningful ownership stake. I also understand there are financial penalties associated with this decision, and I accept those.”
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