LIV Golf’s latest trademark move has stirred fresh intrigue. A quiet update to the league’s paperwork has arrived just as one of its most recognizable stars faces renewed questions about his future. It has landed right as speculation swirls around Brooks Koepka and his future with Smash GC.

Josh Carpenter of Sports Business Journal reported this trademark filing through an X post.

“Another trademark was filed by LIV Golf last week, in addition to the three @Sean_Zak reported on last month: Southern Guards GC,” he wrote.

The timing adds another layer to ongoing chatter about roster movement and team adjustments heading into 2026.

Southern Guards GC joined three filings first highlighted in early November by Golf Digest’s Sean Zak. Those earlier submissions were for Becko East GC, Southern Balindi GC, and Real Club De Toros GC.

The filing mirrors the structure used for all current teams, covering tournament operations and golf-related media. This suggests that LIV is laying the groundwork for new branding options or additional squads.

Rebranding comes amid rumors of Koepka leaving the Saudi-backed league to rejoin the PGA Tour. But Carpenter reported that he may skip the 2026 season despite his existing deal. The move could carry an eight-figure cost. LIV CEO Scott O’Neil stated the former major champion remains contracted but offered little about plans beyond that point.

“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,” shared O’Neil.

There’s no confirmation of whether Brooks Koepka will continue with LIV or switch to the PGA Tour. But if he decides to make the switch, it will rile up golfers on both sides. The PGA Tour members were already angry with the news of the LIV and PGA Tour merger back in 2023 because of the pay differences. And if Koepka gets his way back on the tour, it will stir up a lot of members.

However, it would be very unlikely for the American golfer to join the PGA Tour straight away. According to the punishments listed for those wanting to rejoin after leaving for LIV, every golfer will face a one-year ban since the last LIV event played. The last event Koepka played on LIV was in August 2025. So even if he wants to rejoin, he would have to miss most of the 2026 season per the ban.

LIV’s recent actions suggest a league positioning itself for flexibility, regardless of how the Brooks Koepka conversation unfolds. The origins of the Becko East name are still unknown, but the Balindi reference points to a town north of Kolkata. It hints at a possible future team built around Indian or broader south-Asian talent. Meanwhile, Real Club De Toros appears positioned as a likely new identity for Sergio Garcia’s Fireballs GC. Since the squad comprises three Spanish and one Mexican golfer, the new name seems to be the best fit for the team.

These could also be names for new teams. Rumors are that LIV is planning to expand to a league of 15 teams, up from 13. Past LIV trademarks faced opposition, such as Adidas challenging its “L” logo and suits over team marks like HyFlyers GC, highlighting branding risks. This time, Scott O’Neil may be trying to prepare for such challenges beforehand.

But team name trademarks and the addition of new teams aren’t the only changes LIV is making. There are some pretty significant changes fans would see in LIV in 2026. Most of these efforts are aimed at helping the league secure an eligible tour status with the OWGR.

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Changes LIV is making for a possible OWGR status

The OWGR declined LIV’s first application for eligible tour status in 2023. After replacing Greg Norman as the Saudi-backed league’s new CEO, Scott O’Neil learned from past failures and is making new changes. These changes came after LIV reapplied for the status in July 2025.

One of the key changes LIV made is moving from a 54-hole format to the standard 72-hole format. One of the key points highlighted for rejection in 2023 was that LIV events are shorter. This leads to inequality in ranking golfers. Therefore, Scott O’Neil decided to move to the 72-hole format, a move welcomed by the elite LIV golfers, including Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, Dustin Johnson, and more.

Another major change it made is recruiting two members from the Asian circuit instead of one. LIV announced a couple of months back that it would offer contracts to the top two golfers on the Asian Order of Merit. The same goes for the LIV Promotions event. Unlike the previous years, where one golfer was given a contract, it will be two this time.

Scott O’Neil is making as many changes as required to ensure that LIV gets the eligible tour status this time. And if that happens, it will be a major boost for the league. Not only will it attract better talent to the league, but also give LIV a better stance when it comes to negotiating a deal with the PGA Tour.