Jon Rahm in worst spot at LIV Golf after Brooks | Golf News

Brooks Koepka is abandoning the LIV Golf circuit due to personal household issues, but his exit is creating problems for Jon Rahm within the Saudi-funded group.

Koepka’s determination has despatched ripples throughout the golf world, with quite a few professionals weighing in on his contract scenario and the probability of the five-time major champion returning to the PGA Tour. Attention has now shifted to two-time major champion Bryson DeChambeau, who emerges as the standout persona in the Saudi-backed competitors.

PGA Tour skilled Smylie Kaufman cautioned that Koepka’s exit might spell catastrophe for Rahm’s prospects, given DeChambeau’s huge draw and the declining aggressive subject as LIV Golf recruits lesser-known Tour gamers while struggling for Official World Golf Rankings inclusion.

“Bryson is the box office for LIV. He has all the leverage in the world now that Brooks has left. Jon Rahm might as well be sitting in a coffin,” Kaufman warned on The Smylie Show.

“He is in the worst spot you could possibly be because he signed later. His contract runs through later.

“So his issue now is that, ‘Okay, one of the gamers that at least I might compete against, where I might go head-to-head, and at least any individual that I’d competed against in major championships, now he is gone. If Bryson’s not taking part in, all of a sudden Rahm’s like, ‘Shoot, what did I do?'”

Koepka is departing LIV Golf due to family and personal considerations, according to his representatives. “Family has always guided Brooks’ choices, and he feels this is the fitting second to spend more time at home,” Koepka’s management team said.

“Brooks will continue to be a enormous supporter of LIV Golf and needs the league and its gamers continued success. Brooks stays passionate about the sport of golf and will keep followers up to date on what’s forward.”

This leaves one fewer talented competitor on the circuit for Rahm to face off against. Rahm boasts 11 victories on the PGA Tour and held third place in the OWGR when he made the switch to the Saudi-funded tour, whereas DeChambeau currently ranks 27th in the OWGR.

DeChambeau isn’t just a Ryder Cup standout for Team USA, but also commands a massive social media following with more than 2 million followers across both YouTube and TikTok platforms.

“It’s where I would like to be, but finally, it is received to make sense for all people. Because I might just do YouTube golf and be completely positive as properly,” DeChambeau recently commented about LIV Golf, suggesting he’d be satisfied focusing solely on digital golf content.

LIV Golf has secured several additions for the 2026 campaign, including Victor Perez and Laurie Canter, while Taylor Gooch has been named the new leader of Smash GC, though none present particularly fierce competition for Rahm.

“You’re shedding Brooks. And the entire objective with this format change this offseason, going from 54 to 72 holes, is to work our approach in direction of OWGR factors, and then the hopes of bringing guys in who have greater standings in the OWGR could be to raise the score of those fields,” said Charlie Hulme.