Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm respond to PGA Tour’s offer to quit LIV Golf after Brooks Koepka’s exit

Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith have poured cold water on the idea of quitting LIV Golf to rejoin the PGA Tour.

Three of LIV’s biggest names – each a major champion eligible for the PGA Tour’s newly devised Returning Member Program – have committed to staying put rather than following Brooks Koepka’s path back to the sport’s traditional powerhouse.

The PGA Tour has opened the door only to players who have won a major championship or The Players Championship since 2022. While five-time major winner Koepka has applied to return after departing LIV Golf, his former colleagues have chosen to stay put.

“I had no idea, no idea that that would happen,” said DeChambeau, who had earlier put a cheeky post on Instagram of him shrugging his shoulders standing next to an ‘exit’ sign asking the question ‘What would you do?’.

“[I had] no idea what the penalties would even be. Right now, I’ve got a contract. I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do at LIV Golf this year.”

DeChambeau is now expected seal a deal worth an estimated $500m (£372m) to stay with LIV after Koepka’s defection gave remaining players fresh leverage with an irate LIV hierarchy, according to The Telegraph.

Rahm, speaking at a LIV Golf media event in Florida, said: “I’m not planning on going anywhere, so very similar answer to what Bryson gave. I wish Brooks the best and as far as I’m concerned, I’m focused on LIV for this year and hoping my team can repeat as champs.”

Australia’s Smith, the lowest-profile of the three, said he would be staying with LIV. “I made a decision to come out here and spend more time at home and I’m not giving that away. I will be on LIV for the years to come,” said the former Open champion.

Koepka has returned to the PGA Tour after agreeing to stringent restrictions on his financial benefits and a charitable donation of $5m.

“I believe in where the PGA TOUR is headed with new leadership, new investors, and an equity program that gives players a meaningful ownership stake,” Koepka said on X. “I also understand there are financial penalties associated with this decision, and I accept those.”

PGA Tour chief executive Brian Rolapp wrote in an open letter that the new policy has “strict limitations, which Brooks has agreed to, (including) a five-year forfeiture of potential equity in the PGA Tour’s Player Equity Program... with estimations that he could miss out on approximately 50-85 million US dollars in potential earnings.”

The letter added: “At the request of the PGA Tour, Brooks has also agreed to make a five-million dollar charitable contribution, the recipient(s) of which will be determined jointly.”