Brooks Koepka sensationally quits LIV Golf just three years after joining controversial league
Professional golfer Brooks Koepka will leave LIV Golf next year, just four years after he abandoned the PGA Tour to join the controversial breakaway.
The five-time major champion had one year remaining on his deal with the Saudi-backed circuit, which he joined in 2022 when the divisive league poached a number of golf's biggest stars from the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, sending the sport spiraling into a civil war.
However, just under four years later, the 35-year-old has announced that he is leaving LIV Golf with the circuit's blessing, per Bob Harig.
The shock departure has been branded 'amicable' in a statement released by LIV Golf with the golfer said to be 'prioritizing the needs of his family and staying closer to home.'
'Brooks Koepka will be stepping away from LIV Golf,' according to a statement from his management team released by LIV Golf. 'He is deeply grateful to Yasir Al-Rumayyan (the governor of the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, (LIV CEO) Scott O'Neil, and the LIV Golf leadership team, his teammates and the fans.
'Family has always guided Brooks' decisions, and he feels this is the right moment to spend more time at home. Brooks will continue to be a huge supporter of LIV Golf and wishes the league and its players continued success. Brooks remains passionate about the game of golf and will keep fans updated on what's ahead.'
Professional golfer Brooks Koepka will leave LIV Golf next year, he announced on Tuesday
The five-time major champion had one year left on his deal with the Saudi-backed circuit
Meanwhile, in their own statement, the PGA Tour: 'Brooks Koepka is a highly accomplished professional, and we wish him and his family continued success.
'The PGA TOUR continues to offer the best professional golfers the most competitive, challenging and lucrative environment in which to pursue greatness'.
Since his arrival on the circuit, Koepka has captained the Smash team, which will now be passed to his former teammate Talor Gooch.
While Koepka's captaincy has been filled, his exit leaves Smash with an opening with just two months remaining before the start of the 2026 season in February.
The sudden exit comes as Koepka and his wife, Jena Sims, navigate a period of intense personal grief following the loss of their second child.
Sims, 36, revealed the couple was devastated after learning at 16 weeks that their unborn baby's heart had stopped beating.
Sharing the news on Instagram, the model wrote: 'This is a grief no parent is ever prepared for. We are devastated, but remain hopeful to give Crew a sibling one day'.
The couple, who wed in 2022, are already parents to two-year-old son Crew, whose traumatic arrival six weeks premature in 2023 saw him spend 20 days in intensive care.
Sims, a prominent Sports Illustrated model, has often been a fixture at her husband's side, most recently seen supporting him with young Crew at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in St Andrews.
The PGA Tour released their own statement shortly after Koepka's announcement on Tuesday
Professional golfer Brooks Koepka's wife, Jena Sims, shared that they have lost a baby
Despite the emotional toll, Koepka must now navigate a complex professional minefield as he eyes a return to traditional competition.
He is expected to face a mandatory one-year ban from the PGA Tour, calculated from the date of his last appearance in an unauthorized LIV event in August 2025.
This suspension could keep the star sidelined from the U.S. circuit until the September 2026 FedEx Cup Fall series.
In contrast, the DP World Tour remains an immediate option, as Koepka currently holds membership and is not barred from their upcoming events.
The five-time major winner remains eligible for all four major championships through 2028, providing a global stage while he serves his exile from the PGA Tour.
