Brooks Koepka becomes latest top golfer to leave PGA Tour for LIV Golf Series

According to sources who have confirmed it to ESPN, four-time major champion Brooks Koepka is the latest golfer to go from the PGA Tour to the LIV Golf Invitational Series.

Koepka, 32, is one of the highest-profile golfers to have joined the breakaway circuit, which is supported by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia and is led by two-time Open winner Greg Norman.

In the upcoming days, LIV Golf is anticipated to make the Koepka addition official, according to reliable sources. The inaugural LIV Golf competition in the United States, at Pumpkin Ridge in Portland, Oregon, begins on June 30. Koepka, who is currently ranked 19th in the Official World Golf Ranking, is expected to play.

The Telegraph of London broke the news of Koepka’s impending exit from the PGA Tour on Tuesday.

The 20th-ranked golfer in the world, Abraham Ancer, made the switch to the new series official later on Tuesday, according to LIV Golf.

“Abraham Ancer has been a rising star who’s established himself as one of the world’s top golfers in a very short period of time. He is a consistent contender which continues to elevate our competition,” Norman said in a statement. “Abraham’s global reach and star power in Mexico and Latin America makes him a great fit for LIV Golf, which is committed to growing the sport on a global scale, particularly in new and emerging markets. We are thrilled to have him on board and look forward to having him in the field in Portland and beyond.”

Earlier on Tuesday, world No. 4 Collin Morikawa tweeted that he is “here to stay” on the PGA Tour and “nothing has changed,” denying reports that he was also considering joining LIV Golf.

Eight of the top 50 players in the world have now signed contracts with LIV Golf, and Patrick Reed (ranked 38th) and Bryson DeChambeau (30th) are both anticipated to participate in the Portland event.

For playing in LIV Golf’s maiden event outside of London two weeks ago, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan punished 17 players, including two-time major champion Dustin Johnson and six-time major champion Phil Mickelson. Monahan had previously stated that similar sanctions would be applied on tour players who participated in upcoming LIV Golf events without a conflicting-event release.

At the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut, Monahan will meet with players on Tuesday morning. Tuesday also saw a meeting of the players’ advisory committee for the PGA Tour.

Koepka, who is ranked 84th in the FedEx Cup standings, didn’t attend the event at the TPC River Highlands but he was still in the field for the Travelers Championship.

On Wednesday, Monahan is set to meet the media.

After winning the PGA Championship in 2018 and the U.S. Open in 2017, Koepka became the first player in history to hold back-to-back victories in two major tournaments at the same time in 2019.

Koepka competed in the London-based LIV tournament alongside his brother Chase Koepka and lifelong friend Johnson.

Despite holding the top spot for 47 weeks, Koepka has recently struggled with wrist, back, and hip problems. Despite having two top-10 finishes in 15 outings, Koepka underperformed in this season’s opening three majors. He finished in a tie for 55th place at the PGA Championship, missed the cut at the Masters, and 55th place at the U.S. Open last week at The Country Club outside of Boston.

Last week, Koepka chastised reporters for raising “black clouds” over LIV Golf and the U.S. Open.

Playing at Oklahoma was Ancer, a dual citizen of Mexico and the United States. At the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational in Memphis in August, he earned his first and only PGA Tour triumph. Additionally, he placed top 10 in both of the most recent PGA Championships, including a tie for ninth place finish at Southern Hills last month.

Ancer abruptly withdrew from the U.S. Open last week, citing sickness. He is not working for the Travelers out there.

One of the International Team’s bright spots at the 2019 Presidents Cup in Melbourne, Australia, was Ancer. His sole defeat came in a singles match against Tiger Woods, giving him a record of 3-1-1 total.