Brooks Koepka may have bid farewell to LIV Golf and rejoined the PGA Tour, but LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman doesn't have a thing against him for deciding to part ways with his organisation.

While Koepka is waiting to take to the course for the Farmers Insurance Open on January 29, Norman expressed elation at the 35-year-old's decision to return to the Tour. 

He also implied that Koepka was in no way wrong to choose his preferred way. Norman said, "I love it. It’s free agency. Brooks had an option to stay with LIV or go back to the PGA Tour. He’s an independent contractor who can go wherever he wants."

Koepka returned to the PGA Tour under the Returning Member Program, which allowed only those who won a major championship or THE PLAYERS Championship in 2022 or later. This meant Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cameron Smith also had a chance to return. But they decided to stay. 

And if we focus on DeChambeau, he had massive leverage and reportedly got $500 million to extend his LIV contract. That seemingly pleased Norman. 

The 70-year-old continued, “Look at what is happening with Bryson… God bless him. I hope he becomes a billionaire out of it.”

But while Norman has now come to terms with Koepka's decision to leave LIV Golf, his initial reaction was quite different.

Greg Norman Was Surprised to Know About Brooks Koepka’s Decision

On The Big Swing With Jimmy Roberts podcast, Norman admitted being startled by Koepka's decision to part ways with LIV Golf when he learned about it in December 2025.

He said, "I was surprised, to be honest with you. I knew Brooks very well. I spent a lot of time with Brooks, understanding team value about in Smash and how to build it, and where to go. Brooks was very engaged in how to build that value."

Norman also shared that Brooks Koepka used to ask him for tips. Their talks revolved around growth, team model, and managing multiple occasions. And Norman provided him with valuable advice. 

"Brooks, your priority is to be the best golfer you can possibly be," he said, recalling the advice he gave the five-time major champion. "You cannot run a team, you cannot be the best player in the world, winning major championships, you cannot do this, and this, and this."

Yet, Norman framed Koepka’s move as a professional choice rather than a fallout. Even in the face of surprise, he stressed ambition and freedom as defining forces in modern golf careers.

Written by

Krushna Pattnaik

Edited by

Souvik Roy