With Koepka linked to PGA Tour again, Woods & McIlroy’s old remarks feel even spicier

McIlroy had a lot to say about players moving to LIV Golf in 2022, but Koepka’s decision seemed to hit harder than most.

Speaking at the Travelers Championship shortly after the news broke, the Northern Irishman did not hold back, criticising the five-time major winner for going back on his earlier statements that he had no intention of leaving the PGA Tour.

“Am I surprised? Yes, because of what he said previously. I think that’s why I’m surprised at a lot of these guys because they say one thing and then they do another, and I don’t understand it,” he said at that time.

“I don’t know if that’s for legal reasons or if they can’t – I have no idea – but it’s pretty duplicitous on their part to say one thing and then do another thing, in public and in private.”

Woods was just as clear in his view, saying that by joining LIV Golf, Koepka and others were distancing themselves from what originally built their careers.

He explained: “I don’t understand it. What is the incentive to practice and earn it in the dirt? I disagree with it. I think that what they’ve done is they’ve turned their back on what has allowed them to get to this position.

“But what these players are doing for guaranteed money, what is the incentive to practice?’ What is the incentive to go out there and earn it in the dirt? You’re just getting paid a lot of money up front and playing a few events and playing 54 holes.”

LIV has since switched its format to 72 holes in an effort to gain Official World Golf Ranking points for its players. But even with those changes, some top names have not stuck around. Looking back now, Woods’ concerns seem more valid than ever.

Why Tiger Woods’ words about Brooks Koepka and LIV Golf have aged well

Koepka, like several others who made the move to LIV, has not quite been the same player since. He went through 2025 without a win and has not been in serious contention at a major for two straight seasons.

That pattern is not unique to him, either. Jon Rahm was considered by some as the best in the world before joining LIV, but he has not added to his major tally since making the switch. Even though Rahm took home the LIV individual title last season, he did not actually win any events.

Maybe there is something to what Woods said back then. The grind of regular PGA Tour events is different from what LIV offered with its shorter 54-hole format, and it is possible that has made it harder for some players to adjust when majors come around.

Bryson DeChambeau’s 2025 Masters collapse might be another example of that difference. He started strong but could not hold it together over four rounds, finishing well back after being in the final group with McIlroy through three days.

It is one of the reasons why Rahm pushed for a switch to 72 holes within LIV. Time will tell if that helps players adjust better. But Koepka does not seem convinced, as he is already looking for a way out just three years into his stint with LIV.