On the heels of a thrilling U.S. Open that saw Matt Fitzpatrick take home $3.2 million and his first major title, the LIV defections are back — and bigger than ever.
On Tuesday, four-time major champion Brooks Koepka became the latest golfer to defect from the PGA Tour to the LIV Golf Series, according to the Telegraph. He’s expected to debut June 30 at the next LIV event in Portland, Oregon.
Also making their debuts at the event are Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Reed, as well as Abraham Ancer, who left the Tour on Sunday, per ESPN Deportes.
Koepka is supposedly taking a seven-figure deal to join the Saudi-backed league, per the Telegraph — a controversial jump that could revitalize his career.
- He has $38M in career earnings — but only $1.3M for the 2021-22 season.
- The 32-year-old has battled knee and hip injuries in recent years — and hasn’t won a major since the 2019 PGA Championship.
- His last PGA Tour win was at the Waste Management Phoenix Open in February 2021.
Koepka’s younger brother, Chase, was one of the first to join LIV — but may have only gotten the invite because of his last name, having mostly played on lower-tier tours for a world ranking of 1,607.
But the elder Koepka’s decision marks the crest of a new wave of defections that was once rumored to include Collin Morikawa.
However, the World No. 4 officially tweeted that he is staying with the Tour.
