The LIV Golf shook the very foundation of traditional golf back in 2021. Following the launch of the Saudi-backed league, there was a flurry of players opting out of their PGA Tour contracts. With more money and exposure on offer, the LIV Golf soon became a superhit affair. However, the tide did not take too long to turn. Soon, the players realized that playing in the league would not be beneficial for them in the long run as the LIV does not award OWGR points. 

As a result, there was a growing concern about the longevity of the league. And with no other options left, the LIV opted to bring in some radical changes from 2026. In order to get OWGR points, the Saudi-backed league changed their format. Unfortunately, while this was supposed to make things better, what happened was actually worse. Big-name players soon started to part ways with the league, and many are on the line to exit before the next season begins. As the LIV Golf stands at a very sensitive point, here are the top-3 names that switched sides from LIV Golf to the PGA recently.

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1. Brooks Koepka

When speaking about the names that have left LIV Golf, the name of Brooks Koepka will be the first one that comes to mind. Jumping ship from the PGA to LIV back in 2022, Koepka soon became a stalwart in the Saudi-backed league. Over the years, the US golfer won 5 times on LIV Golf between October 2022 and August 2024. His incredible performances meant that he became the captain of the Smash GC. Koepka also became one of just 2 players to win a Major championship while playing for the Saudi-backed league. 

Unfortunately, the rosy days did not continue for long, and everything came crashing down when the 35-year-old announced that he wanted to part ways with LIV Golf. The statement came as a shocker for everyone as Koepka still had a year’s contract left, which could have helped him make a whopping $100 million. Back on December 23, 2025, Koepka’s representative dropped a bombshell.

The official statement read, “Brooks Koepka will be stepping away from LIV Golf. He is deeply grateful to Yasir Al-Rumayyan, Scott O’Neil, and the LIV Golf leadership team, his teammates, and the fans. Family has always guided Brooks’s decisions, and he feels this is the right moment to spend more time at home. Brooks will continue to be a huge supporter of LIV Golf and wishes the league and its players continued success. Brooks remains passionate about the game of golf and will keep fans updated on what’s ahead.”

Immediately after the announcement, Koepka went on vacation with his wife. But soon, the shock element of the situation gave way to uncertainty. People promptly understood that the 35-year-old’s coming back to the PGA Tour would not be a path laden with rose petals. The Tour has a strict policy of a 1-year ban being handed to the players opting to come back. And if Koepka, too follows the same, then he won’t be eligible to play in the PGA until August of 2026. With a widespread debate going on about whether the Tour will be bending the rules to accommodate the icon, fans will be eagerly waiting to see what happens next.

2. Pat Perez

Well, if you thought Brooks Koepka was the only big name opting out, well, hold your tea! As the golfing realm was still reacting and coping with Koepka’s departure, they were hit with yet another bombshell. Pat Perez, the US golfer who turned pro back in 1997, announced his allegiance to LIV Golf back in the summer of 2022. While he does not have a victory to his name in LIV, Perez had been an important member of the 4Aces team that won several team events. 

Unfortunately, following the structural problems of LIV, things soon went out of hand. With Perez waiting for the merger to take place smoothly, he had a change of minds when things got stalled. Back in December 2025, Josh Carpenter, a journalist from the Sports Business Journal confirmed that the 49-year-old will not play in the Saudi-backed league anymore. Instead, he is more interested in taking the field for the Champions Tour.

Speaking about his decision, Perez stated, “A lot of it will have to do with what happens with this so-called merger. If it doesn’t happen, I see no chance (of playing on the Champions Tour). But if it does, I want to know what the steps are to possibly play the Tour. There’s a lot of situations that have come up and it’s all based on what happens at the end of the day.” 

As a matter of fact, Perez was not playing actively in LIV Golf at the moment. In fact, he did not play in the whole of 2024 and joined the LIV commentary team back in the early 2025. Now, with Perez delivering a teller blow to LIV, it remains to be seen what his path looks like following his LIV exit. 

3. Kevin Na

Alongside Brooks Koepka and Pat Perez, another name, too, is reportedly parting ways with the Saudi-backed league. Korean-American golfer Kevin Na might be delivering another major blow to LIV Golf just days after Brooks Koepka announced his decision. Stepping into 2026, Na has unfollowed LIV Golf and Iron Heads GC on social media. And such a stance was enough to spark the rumours of him leaving LIV Golf.

A report from Golf enthusiast X handle, Nuclear Golf read, “There is reportedly ‘drama going on’ inside LIV Golf’s Iron Heads GC franchise. Captain Kevin Na is not following LIV or his team on Instagram, and recent reported rumors have tied potential signings to the team.” The source also confirmed that the news is coming via The Smylie Show on YouTube, hosted by NBC Insider Smylie Kaufman.

Kevin Na joined LIV Golf in 2022. But before joining LIV, the Korean-born American was a PGA Tour golfer, and he bagged 5 wins under the PGA Tour. However, the 2025 season did not turn out well for Na. He concluded the season 44th in the standings with just one top-15 result.

However, he was the face of LIV’s Korea expansion. Just a few months back, in the beginning of 2025, he shared how LIV Golf Korea would turn out to be ‘massive’. “When I joined LIV, they always had plans to play in Korea. But it’s not as simple as picking up a phone and trying to get an event there”, he shared. Na further added, “We’re extremely excited to have a tournament in Korea, with three Korean-born players on our team. We worked really hard, I personally worked very hard to get that tournament in Korea and have the right people help us to get it over the line. Every step of the way, getting the tournament there, I was a part of it.”

But now, as it appears, just within a span of a year, the tables might have turned. Only time will reveal the final decision that Na takes and the golf community will just wait to witness how the new year turns out to be for the Saudi-backed LIV Golf.

Meanwhile, apart from these 3 names, there might be a fourth name added to the list. And it will be none other than that of Bryson DeChambeau. As shocking as it sounds, the recent statements from DeChambeau has hinted at the fact that he is probably not happy with whatever is going on with LIV. Notably, the departure of Koepka seems to have impacted his decision largely.

Speaking about his future with Flushing It Golf’s Tom Hobbs, DeChambeau stated, “I mean, look, it’s confidential. I’m not going to share too much, but the conversations are in process.” He further added, “We have to get to a place where both parties have a good understanding of one another. It is getting to a place that makes sense for both sides. And, I think that can happen, but you never know. Life throws curve balls and, obviously, we saw what happened (Brooks Koepka leaving LIV Golf) and that was quite a shock to a lot of people and something that, you know, it is what it is.” Thus, with a lot going on with LIV Golf, fans now will be eager to see how things pan out in the future.