Even before Brooks Koepka’s exit, the \”Scientist\” was the face of the league. Now, he definitely holds all the trump cards. An analysis.
First the latest news: Brooks Koepka’s debut on the driving range at Torrey Pines was met with neither hostility nor warmth from former and renewed colleagues. At most, the LIV returnee encountered friendly indifference, with Wyndham Clark, a declared skeptic of the PGA Tour’s Returning Member Program, remaining inconspicuous so far.
Call with Tiger Woods
\”I’m excited. There are definitely players who are happy and definitely players who will be angry. Some won’t be pleased with how things have unfolded,\” the 35-year-old had noted some time ago. Yesterday, at the press conference for the Farmers Insurance Open, he expressed gratitude for the opportunity and revealed that his first call after being cleared to leave LIV was to Tiger Woods, the influential power behind the scenes in Ponte Vedra Beach.
\”I wasn’t exactly sure what to do or how to approach things with the PGA Tour, and Tiger was the first person who came to mind as I have always had a good relationship with him.\” Koepka clearly knows whose approval truly matters…
LIV’s Dynamic Seriously Changed
But shouldn’t this article focus on Bryson DeChambeau? Indeed. Yet it cannot begin without the Koepka context. The departure of the Florida giant has drastically altered the dynamics of the LIV Golf League. The Saudi-backed league suddenly lost 33.3 percent of its assets.
Koepka was one to flaunt publicly as a five-time major winner, accompanied by the glamorous Jena Sims, and one of only two LIV players to have won a major while on the rival circuit. The other is DeChambeau, US Open champion in 2020 and 2024 (!) and an exceptional figure in many respects.
Only DeChambeau and Rahm as Assets
The third valuable asset is probably Jon Rahm, not only viewed from a European perspective. Beyond them, LIV’s roster fades into irrelevance — a bit of Sergio Garcia, possibly some Joaquin Niemann.
Patrick Reed stands out mostly because of his questionable reputation and allegations, although the 2018 Masters champion recently won the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. Dustin Johnson missing the cut in the same tournament drew no attention. Tyrrell Hatton is clearly more interesting than Cameron Smith. And who exactly is Phil Mickelson again?
Rory McIlroy is right when he says, \”They haven’t signed anyone who moves the needle, and I don’t think they will.\”
Majors and YouTube Only?
Now we arrive finally at Bryson DeChambeau. LIV lives by and through the 32-year-old Texan. The reverse may not be true. BDC recently stated he could imagine playing only the majors for the rest of his career while focusing on his YouTube channel with the hit series \