Before Brooks Koepka’s departure, the ‘Scientist’ was already the face of LIV Golf. Now he undoubtedly holds all the trump cards. An analysis.
The latest news first: Brooks Koepka’s first appearance on the driving range at Torrey Pines was met with neither hostility nor warmth from former and current colleagues. At best, the LIV returnee encountered a 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 happy about how everything unfolded,’ the 35-year-old said some time ago. At yesterday’s press conference for the Farmers Insurance Open, he politely thanked everyone for the opportunity and revealed that his first call after being granted permission to leave LIV went to Tiger Woods, the powerbroker behind the scenes in Ponte Vedra Beach.
‘I wasn’t exactly sure what to do or how to handle things with the PGA Tour, and Tiger was the first person that came to mind because I have always had a good relationship with him.’ Koepka knows exactly whose approval really matters.
LIV Golf’s Dynamics Dramatically Changed
But wait, isn’t this article about Bryson DeChambeau? It is. However, without addressing Koepka’s case first, it’s impossible to proceed. The departure of the Florida giant has drastically changed the dynamics of the LIV Golf League. The Saudi-funded league suddenly lost 33.3% of its valuable assets.
Koepka was a player who could flaunt his value publicly — a five-time major winner, accompanied by the dazzling Jena Sims, one of only two LIV players to have captured a major during their time in the rival circuit. The other is DeChambeau, US Open champion of 2020 and 2024, and an exceptional figure in many respects.
Only DeChambeau and Rahm Remain Valuable
The third highly valuable asset is probably Jon Rahm, not only through a European perspective. Beyond them, LIV’s roster fades into insignificance. A bit of Sergio Garcia here, some Joaquin Niemann there.
Patrick Reed stands out for being overshadowed by controversies and has just won the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. Dustin Johnson missing the cut in the same tournament, however, does not cause much stir. Tyrrell Hatton is clearly more interesting than Cameron Smith. And who was 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.’
Only Majors and YouTube?
This brings the article squarely back to Bryson DeChambeau. LIV lives by and through the 32-year-old Texan. This is not necessarily true the other way around. DeChambeau recently said he could imagine playing only majors for the rest of his career and otherwise focusing on his YouTube channel with the hit series