The PGA Tour’s ‘Returning Member Program’, explained

The PGA Tour executed a move on Monday that showed why it is the gold standard for professional golf across the world.

It was announced by both the Tour and Brooks Koepka himself that the five-time major champion will be returning to the gold standard of tours later this month at the Farmers Insurance Open (he will also play the WM Phoenix Open). This is significant news because Koepka has been a part of LIV Golf for the last four seasons and that previously there was no viable path (speaking with regards to the majority of them) for players to return to the PGA Tour from LIV.

There is still no viable path for a majority, but there is now an established route for the most accomplished. The PGA Tour’s announcement covered their new “Returning Member Program” which applies to players like Koepka.

Here is the program broken down and explained:

• The program is designed to allow for golf’s most accomplished players to return to the PGA Tour
• Players who have won The Players or a major championship in 2022, 2023, 2024, or 2025 are eligible
• Koepka fits this criteria obviously
• So do LIV Golf players Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, and Cam Smith
• There is a five-year forfeiture of potential equity in the Tour’s Player Equity Program
• Brooks agreed to a $5M charitable donation, the recipient(s) of which he and the Tour will determine together
• Fields will be expanded as needed so no current Tour members will be bumped out
• DeChambeau, Rahm, and Smith have until February 2nd to also seek reinstatement

This is an innovative design and move from the PGA Tour that is clearly being executed in the name of gathering the best golfers in the world as they always have.

We will see if any of the other three follow suit.