The golf world, as we know, is always ripe for a story. And when it comes to the exodus years to the LIV Golf League and the return of old heroes, things get truly dramatic. Now, a name many had already written off on the PGA Tour is back in the spotlight: Brooks Koepka.
The five-time major champion has returned to the PGA Tour this year (2026!), and as the Wall Street Journal recently reported, the path back to the top is a tough grind. The comeback is no walk in the park when you have to rediscover the old terrain and perform immediately.
The Price of Freedom?
One still remembers the mega-deals players like Koepka (reportedly $150M+ in 2022) or Jon Rahm (~$300M in 2023) cashed in on with LIV Golf. Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau were also part of the action. But the supposedly easier tour came with a price, especially now that the really big fish want to swim back in the PGA pond.
As golf analyst @JROBGolfX aptly noted, Koepka now practically has to re-earn his money on the PGA Tour. For 5 million dollars, he would supposedly need 42 more tournaments, outside of the majors. On LIV, there were 4 million per win; on the PGA Tour, the prize money for an entire event is often only around that amount. Things are really heating up on the green!
Old Habits Die Hard
Brooks Koepka's story demonstrates once again that switching between tours is not a one-way street, and the adjustment remains a true challenge. While the PGA Tour and LIV Golf let their merger talks collapse in 2025, we still have the exciting comeback stories of golf giants like Koepka. We'll keep you updated!
