Before Brooks Koepka’s departure, the ‘Scientist’ was already the face of the league. Now, he holds all the cards. An analysis.
First the latest news: At Brooks Koepka’s first appearance on the driving range at Torrey Pines, neither former nor current colleagues welcomed him with hostility. At most, the LIV-returning player met with friendly indifference; even Wyndham Clark, a declared skeptic of the PGA Tour’s Returning Member Program, remained inconspicuous.
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 turned out,’ the 35-year-old previously stated. At yesterday’s press conference for the Farmers Insurance Open, he politely thanked for the chance and revealed that his first call upon being cleared to leave LIV was to Tiger Woods, the influential figure behind the scenes in Ponte Vedra Beach.
‘I didn’t know exactly what to do or how to approach things with the PGA Tour, and Tiger was the first that came to mind since I have always had a good relationship with him.’ Koepka knows exactly whose approval truly matters…
LIV Dynamics Severely Changed
But hold on, isn’t this article supposed to be about Bryson DeChambeau? Yes, but it is impossible to start without addressing Koepka’s case. The departure of the Florida giant has dramatically altered the LIV Golf league’s dynamics, instantly costing the Saudi-backed entity 33.3 percent of its key assets.
Koepka was one to make a statement publicly as a five-time major champion with the glamorous Jena Sims by his side. One of only two LIV players to win a major during the rival circuit era — the other being DeChambeau, US Open champion in 2020 and 2024, and an exceptional figure in many respects.
DeChambeau and Rahm: LIV’s Key Assets
The third major asset considered especially valuable is Jon Rahm, not just from a European perspective. Beyond them, LIV’s roster fades into insignificance. A bit of Sergio Garcia, perhaps Joaquin Niemann. Patrick Reed stands out mainly due to controversies surrounding him, although he recently won the Hero Dubai Desert Classic in 2024. Dustin Johnson missing the cut in the same event went unnoticed. Tyrrell Hatton is notably more interesting than Cameron Smith. And Phil Mickelson? Rory McIlroy is right saying, ‘They haven’t signed anyone who moves the needle, and I don’t think they will.’
Majors and YouTube Only?
This brings us finally to Bryson DeChambeau. LIV lives on and through the 32-year-old Texan. The opposite is not necessarily true. DeChambeau recently stated he could imagine playing only the majors for the rest of his career while focusing on his YouTube channel ‘Break 50,’ which boasts nearly three million followers and generates an estimated $800,000 annually, a figure that is rising.