Even before Brooks Koepka left, Bryson DeChambeau was the face of the LIV Golf league. Now, he holds all the trump cards in his hands. A detailed look.
First the news: Brooks Koepka’s return to the Driving Range at Torrey Pines was met with neither cheers nor jeers from former and current colleagues. At most, the LIV returnee was met with friendly indifference. Even Wyndham Clark, a declared skeptic of the PGA Tour’s Returning Member Program, remained notably silent.
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 with how things have gone,\” the 35-year-old had stated a while back. At yesterday’s press conference for the Farmers Insurance Open, he politely thanked for the opportunity and revealed that his first call after being cleared to leave LIV was to Tiger Woods, the influential figure behind the scenes at Ponte Vedra Beach.
\”I didn’t exactly know what to do or how to approach things with the PGA Tour, and Tiger was the first person that came to mind because I always had a good relationship with him.\” Koepka knows exactly whose approval truly counts.
LIV Golf’s Dynamics Changed Dramatically
But wait, wasn’t this article about Bryson DeChambeau? It is. But the Koepka case is essential as an introduction. The departure of the Florida giant has significantly altered the dynamics of the LIV Golf League, instantly reducing their key assets by 33.3 percent.
Koepka was one of the players who boosted LIV’s public profile as a five-time major winner, alongside his glamorous partner Jena Sims. He is one of only two LIV players to have won a major during their time in the rival circuit. The other is DeChambeau, US Open champion in 2020 and 2024, and a standout in many respects.
Only DeChambeau and Rahm as Key Assets
The third valuable asset is Jon Rahm, not just from a European perspective. Beyond that, LIV’s player roster falls into insignificance – a bit of Sergio Garcia, some Joaquin Niemann perhaps.
Patrick Reed draws attention due to controversies, despite recently winning the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. Dustin Johnson missing the cut at the same event hardly made news. Tyrrell Hatton is clearly more interesting than Cameron Smith. And where 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?
This brings us back to Bryson DeChambeau. LIV lives by and through the 32-year-old Texan. But the reverse isn’t necessarily true. DeChambeau recently mentioned he could imagine playing only majors for the rest of his career, focusing otherwise on his YouTube channel \”Break 50\” with nearly three million followers, earning him an estimated $800,000 annually, with a rising