Before Brooks Koepka left, the \”Scientist\” was already the face of the league. Now, he holds all the 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 his former and renewed colleagues. At best, the LIV returning member faced friendly indifference; even Wyndham Clark, a declared skeptic of the PGA Tour’s Returning Member Program, remained reserved.
Phone Call with Tiger Woods
\”I’m excited. There are definitely players who are happy and others who will be angry. Some won’t be happy with how things went,\” the 35-year-old said some time ago. Yesterday, at the press conference for the Farmers Insurance Open, he graciously thanked those who gave him the opportunity and revealed that his first call after being cleared to leave LIV was to Tiger Woods, the strongman and behind-the-scenes power broker in Ponte Vedra Beach.
\”I wasn’t 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 Golf’s Dynamics Dramatically Shifted
But wait, isn’t this article about Bryson DeChambeau? It is, but the Koepka situation serves as the necessary introduction. The departure of the giant Floridian has drastically changed the dynamics of the LIV Golf League, instantly removing 33.3 percent of its key players.
Koepka was one who made a strong impression to the public: a five-time major winner, accompanied by the dazzling Jena Sims, and one of 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.
DeChambeau Holds All the Cards at LIV
Third in the valuable assets lineup is Jon Rahm, not just from a European perspective. After that, LIV’s roster fades into insignificance. A bit of Sergio Garcia, some Joaquin Niemann maybe.
Patrick Reed attracts attention mostly due to the controversies surrounding him. The 2018 Masters champion recently won the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, whereas Dustin Johnson missing the cut in the same tournament went largely unnoticed. 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 makes a difference, and I don’t think they will.\”
Majors and YouTube: DeChambeau’s Future Plans
This brings the focus back to Bryson DeChambeau, the 32-year-old Texan who drives LIV’s existence. However, LIV’s survival doesn’t necessarily depend on him. Recently, DeChambeau said he could imagine playing only the majors for the rest of his career and focusing on his You