As LIV welcomed its inaugural tournament to life in the summer of 2022, elite golfers had a headache of a decision to make: remain on the PGA Tour and fight for prize money or accept a guaranteed lump sum to join the Saudi-backed breakaway.

Huge names swapped prestige for security, including major winners Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, Cameron Smith and Brooks Koepka himself.

Now four years on from the exiles and the fallout, five-time major champion Koepka has been accepted back onto the historic tour, and the PGA have come out fighting – raising serious questions over whether LIV can retain elite talent in the long term.

Brooks Koepka’s return

The PGA Tour has undoubtedly missed a force of Koepka’s calibre during his three-and-a-half-year absence. His return marks the first major defection back to the tour.

Between 2017 and 2019, Koepka lifted four major titles in three seasons. A downturn followed, with injuries, fading confidence and declining prize money – making LIV’s phone call an attractive proposal.

Now financially secure after years of salary-based earnings, Koepka may once again be driven by competition rather than comfort – eager to test himself against the strongest fields and reclaim his standing among golf’s elite.

Guaranteed money solves a lot of problems, but it doesn’t cure competitive restlessness.

While LIV’s appeal remains largely financial of course, DeChambeau, Rahm and Smith will have all taken note of the noise surrounding Koepka’s decision.

Losing one of their most marketable stars weakens LIV’s strongest advertisement and runs the risk of viewers losing interest in the competition entirely.

PGA revival?

The PGA will have been unable to mask smirks when receiving the news of Koepka wanting back on the tour.

It was a significant milestone opportunity for them to double-down, send a statement and battle for more of their ex-stars.

The tour decided to press on and offer their former elites a chance to re-join for the 2026 season, but DeChambeau, Rahm and Smith all committed to LIV for the forthcoming term.

But seeing Koepka welcomed back with open arms by the governing body shows all players there is still a place for them in the PGA – and LIV should be worried by their signs of adaptability.

There’s nothing stopping these major winners from competing for one more year and then heading on the same route as Koepka, which could concern LIV greatly.

PGA has the advantage and it’s been ignited by Koepka’s move.

LIV’s options to halt momentum

LIV Golf promised revolution, but Koepka’s return makes it look more like a well-funded detour.

The tour must be relieved that most of their players remain in their competition for this year, but it’s a warning sign of things to come.

This must fire up talks between tours to find a way of combining resources and players in years to come, or it could set LIV on global expansion to entice other players to join them.

Options include securing world ranking points for players to rank higher while at LIV, and/or locking players into longer and stricter contracts with even more zeros on the end.

Or even positioning LIV as a complementary tour alongside the PGA, as a shorter competition with fewer events – unopposing PGA’s event-ridden tour.

They have to work on something, as the long-term sustainability of the tour remains uncertain.

But whatever way you look at it, these measures look certain to only delay the inevitable if prestige, competition and legacy continue to pull those at the top of their game back towards the PGA Tour.

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