Even before Koepka’s departure, the ‘Scientist’ was the face of LIV Golf. Now, he’s holding all the cards for the league’s future. A closer look.
First the latest news: Brooks Koepka’s return to the PGA Tour’s driving range at Torrey Pines was met with neither cheers nor boos from former and current colleagues. At most, a friendly indifference greeted the LIV returnee. Notably, Wyndham Clark, a known skeptic of the PGA Tour’s Returning Member Program, has remained low-key so far.
Phone Call with Tiger
\”I’m excited. There are definitely players who are happy and definitely players who will be angry. Some won’t be happy about how it all played out,\” said the 35-year-old earlier. At the Farmers Insurance Open press conference, he thanked the PGA Tour for the opportunity and revealed that his first call after getting clearance to leave LIV was to Tiger Woods, the influential figure behind the scenes at Ponte Vedra Beach. \”I wasn’t sure what to do or how to approach things with the PGA Tour, and Tiger was the first I thought of because I always had a good relationship with him.\” Koepka knows who really holds the approval power.
Significant Shift in LIV Dynamics
This article, however, is about Bryson DeChambeau. But it cannot start without mentioning Koepka’s departure which drastically changed LIV Golf’s dynamics. LIV lost roughly a third of its key assets with Koepka leaving. He was one of the few big names who commanded public attention as a five-time major winner, partnered with the prominent Jena Sims, and one of only two LIV players to have won a major during the rival circuit era. The other being DeChambeau himself, US Open Champion in 2020 and 2024, a remarkable figure in many respects.
DeChambeau and Rahm: LIV’s Main Assets
Jon Rahm ranks third among LIV assets, valued highly from both American and European perspectives. Beyond them, the LIV roster fades into insignificance with a few familiar names like Sergio Garcia or Joaquin Niemann. Patrick Reed stands out for his controversial reputation but recently won the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. Meanwhile, Dustin Johnson missing the cut there barely raised eyebrows. Tyrrell Hatton appears more interesting than Cameron Smith, and even Phil Mickelson’s relevance is questioned. Rory McIlroy rightly commented: \”They haven’t signed anyone who moves the needle, and I don’t think they will.\”
DeChambeau: Majors and YouTube?
This brings us back to Bryson DeChambeau, the 32-year-old Texan who is the lifeblood of LIV Golf, though the feeling may not be reciprocal. Recently, DeChambeau revealed he might only play the majors going forward and focus more on his popular YouTube channel \”Break 50,\” which boasts nearly three million followers and earns him an estimated $800,000 annually, with the trend rising.
\”I Have a Contract to Fulfill\”
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