The China Mail - Rahm, Dechambeau, Smith snub PGA Tour offer to stay with LIV

Five-time major winner Koepka announced his return to the US circuit on Monday under a new program that created a pathway back for stars who joined the Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit.

It was open to those players who had won either a major or the Players Championship between 2022 and 2025, meaning American DeChambeau, Spain's Rahm and Australian Smith would have been eligible to make the move back from LIV.

But none of them were interested.

"Look, I'm contracted through 2026, so I'm excited about this year," said two-time US Open champion DeChambeau at a LIV Golf media day in Florida.

Asked if he shared the sentiment, Rahm, who won the US Open in 2021 and the Masters two years later, replied: "I'm not planning on going anywhere.

"Very similar answer to what Bryson gave. I wish Brooks the best."

Smith, the 2022 Open winner, was similarly keen to stay with the breakaway tour.

"I'm going to stay," he told reporters.

"I have made my bed and I'm gonna sleep in it. I feel like I am in a really good place in my career and my life, my family life, and I don't need to change it."

PGA Tour chief executive Brian Rolapp said this week Koepka's decision to leave LIV last month had prompted officials to consider how they handled the issue of embracing players who wanted to rejoin.

The result was the PGA Tour's new "Returning Member Program", which came with "severe and justified consequences".

That included a five-year forfeiture of rights to participation in the PGA Tour’s player equity program, while Koepka had agreed to make a $5 million charitable contribution to a recipient which will be determined jointly by Koepka and the PGA Tour.

Launched in 2022, LIV Golf's emergence led to bitter divisions throughout the sport as several of golf's biggest names left the PGA Tour after signing big-money deals.

J.Thompson--ThChM