LIV’s CEO just gave the world’s vaguest non-answer about his biggest star

You know how your friend says “we should hang out soon” but won’t commit to an actual date? That’s basically what LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil just did when asked about Brooks Koepka’s 2026 plans.

According to Sports Business Journal, four golf sources are saying Koepka might pull the ultimate power move: sitting out the entire 2026 LIV season despite being under contract. We’re talking about walking away from nearly $20 million. That’s not “quiet quitting” — that’s shouting your resignation from a megaphone.

What the CEO Actually Said (And Didn’t Say)

When pressed about the rumors, O’Neil gave us this gem: “I know you’re not going to want to hear this one, just the individual players, and this goes back to our policy, we’re just going to run it through. So, we haven’t made any announcements on players, but he is signed for 2026.”

Translation: We’re not confirming anything, but technically there’s a contract. If Koepka was definitely playing, wouldn’t this be the perfect moment to squash the rumors? Instead, O’Neil basically said “no comment” with extra words.

The Escape Route

Here’s where it gets interesting. If Koepka sits out 2026, he’d still have major championship access thanks to his 2023 PGA Championship win. He could play the DP World Tour. And most importantly, he could serve out the mandatory 12-month PGA Tour suspension while not actually playing LIV, potentially returning to the PGA Tour by August 2026.

Think about it: you’re collecting no paychecks but also not burning the year playing tournaments you might not want to play. You’re in purgatory by choice, running out the clock on both your LIV contract and your PGA Tour suspension simultaneously.

The Year That Changed Everything

Koepka’s 2025 was rough. His first winless LIV season. Missed the cut at three of four majors, with only a T-12 at the U.S. Open to show for it. For a guy who built his legacy on major championship performance, that stings differently.

Remember back in March when Fred Couples said Koepka wanted back on the PGA Tour? Koepka responded with the most carefully worded non-denial ever: “I’ve got a contract obligation out here to fulfill, and then we’ll see what happens. I don’t know where I’m going, so I don’t know how everybody else does.”

Or his April comment about LIV: “We all hoped it would have been a little bit further along.”

What’s Actually Happening Here

No former LIV player has returned to the PGA Tour yet. Koepka could be the first. But the logistics are messy. The money loss is real. The bridge-burning potential is high.

LIV nabbed him in 2022 for over $100 million. He’s won five LIV events, captains Smash GC, and was supposed to be their crown jewel. His potential exit would be more than just one player leaving — it would be a statement about LIV’s long-term appeal to elite talent.

Meanwhile, other big names like Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau are reportedly extending their LIV deals. So is Koepka the outlier or the canary in the coal mine?

The Waiting Game

What we know for sure: Koepka’s contract expires after 2026. He’s struggled with his form. He’s been vague about his future. And LIV’s CEO just gave the least convincing “he’s definitely playing” statement possible.

What we don’t know: literally everything else about what will actually happen.

But something tells me we’ll find out a lot more when LIV Golf’s 2026 season kicks off in February. Either Brooks shows up in Saudi Arabia, or we get our answer about whether he’s really willing to forfeit $20 million for a chance to return to the tour he left for $100 million three years ago.

Golf’s loyalty comes with a price tag. The question is whether Brooks is willing to pay it.