Before Brooks Koepka’s departure, ‘The Scientist’ was already the face of the LIV Golf league. Now, Bryson DeChambeau holds even more cards in his hands. An analysis.
First the latest news: Brooks Koepka’s first appearance at the Torrey Pines driving range was met with neither hostility nor warmth from former and current colleagues. At most, the LIV returnee was met with polite indifference; even Wyndham Clark, a declared skeptic of the PGA Tour’s Returning Member Program, remained inconspicuous.
Conversation with Tiger
‘I’m excited. There are definitely players who are happy and definitely players who will be angry. Some won’t be happy with how things have played out,’ said the 35-year-old some time ago. Yesterday, at a press conference for the Farmers Insurance Open, he politely thanked everyone for the opportunity and revealed who he called first when granted clearance to leave LIV: Tiger Woods, the strong man and key figure behind the scenes at Ponte Vedra Beach.
‘I didn’t know exactly what to do or how to handle things with the PGA Tour, and Tiger was the first person who came to mind, as I’ve always had a good relationship with him.’ Koepka knows exactly whose approval really counts…
‘I look forward to this new chapter in my career and am very excited to be here. I’m very grateful to Brian Rolapp, Jay Monahan, Tiger Woods, and everyone who made this opportunity possible.’
Brooks Koepka
LIV’s Landscape Dramatically Changed
But wait, isn’t this article about Bryson DeChambeau? Yes, but it wouldn’t be complete without mentioning Koepka first. The departure of the Florida giant has significantly changed the dynamics of the LIV Golf league. The Saudi-backed entity suddenly lost 33.3% of its assets.
Koepka was a player with major public recognition and bragging rights: a five-time major winner with the glamorous Jena Sims at his side. One of only two LIV players to have won a major during their time 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 particularly valuable asset is probably Jon Rahm, not just from a European perspective. Beyond them, LIV’s player roster fades into insignificance. Perhaps some Sergio Garcia or Joaquin Niemann.
Patrick Reed stands out mainly due to controversy and reputation. The 2018 Masters champion recently won the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, while Dustin Johnson missing the cut there went largely unnoticed. Tyrrell Hatton is arguably more interesting than Cameron Smith. And Phil Mickelson? Rory McIlroy is right when he says, ‘They haven’t signed anyone who moves the needle, and I don’t think they will.’
Only Majors and YouTube?
Which brings us to Bryson DeChambe