Brooks Koepka’s decision to leave LIV Golf years after becoming one of the notable faces to join the renegade league sent shock waves through the sport this week.

Koepka played in the LIV Golf series for more than three seasons, winning five events and taking home the PGA Championship in 2023.

Golf commentator Brandel Chamblee on Friday offered his two cents on fans clamoring for Koepka to return to the PGA Tour, writing in a post on X he disagreed with the notion.

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“I certainly disagree with this,” he wrote. “Allowing Brooks Koepka to return to the PGA Tour with no consequence, would undermine the very meritocratic foundations that make the PGA Tour legitimate — not because of who he is, but because of what his return (will) signal.”

Chamblee said there should be a penalty of some kind for Koepka or anyone else who jumped to the league, which is backed by the Saudi Arabian government.

“LIV did not merely offer an alternative league, it fractured fields, diluted competitive meaning, triggered legal warfare, undermined sponsorship stability, and forced structural change across all of professional golf,” he continued. “Koepka was not a passive bystander, he was a marquee legitimizer.

“You don’t punish him for being influential, but you cannot pretend his influence didn’t matter. His credibility made LIV viable, his stature normalized defection and his success (especially after joining LIV) validated the disruption.”

Brooks Koepka acknowledges the crowd on the fifth green during the first round of the British Open at the Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland July 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison, File)

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Chamblee suggested a penalty would suffice and being reintegrated into the PGA Tour would be the route that officials should go with.

“A penalty would not so much be a punishment as it would be an acknowledgment of choice and the consequence does not need to be punitive to be meaningful,” he added. “He could be made to re-qualify for the PGA Tour (his 5 year exemption for winning the PGA Championship for majors may stand but not for the PGA Tour).

“He could have limited season eligibility and/or a suspension tied to prior contracted breach. The players who stayed on the PGA Tour paid a price. They had to absorb the uncertainty, play in weaker fields, shoulder reputational risk and take on a greater responsibility of protecting the tour’s continuity.”

Ultimately, Chamblee wrote, the penalty wouldn’t be about punishing anyone but rather the consequences for sending a ripple effect through the sport and protecting the PGA Tour.

“It is about whether the PGA Tour believe commitments mean something. If elite players can destabilize the system, take guaranteed money and then return instantly because they are popular or successful, the message is that rules apply only to the expendable,” Chamblee wrote.

“If excellence alone erases consequences then the PGA Tour ceases to be a meritocracy and becomes a marketplace of convenience. Great players most certainly deserve respect, but institutions deserve protection.”

Brooks Koepka plays a shot from a bunker on the second hole during the second round of the U.S. Open June 13, 2025. (Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images)

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LIV Golf said Koepka was leaving the series to prioritize the “needs of his family and staying closer to home.”

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The Athletics reportedly gave one of their young stars a very nice Christmas present. 

The Athletics and left fielder Tyler Soderstrom agreed to a seven-year, $86 million contract on Thursday, according to multiple reports. 

The contract is the largest the team has ever given out. The deal also includes an eighth-year club option and has escalators that bring the maximum value of the contract to $131 million. 

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Soderstrom, 24, broke out in 2025. He debuted in 2023 as a catcher and first baseman, and struggled to hit in his first taste of Major League Baseball, hitting .160 with just three home runs and a .472 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) in 45 games. 

The Turlock, Calif., native came back up to the big leagues in 2024 and was much better. In 61 games, Soderstrom had a .233 batting average with nine home runs, 26 RBI and a .743 OPS while still primarily playing first base. 

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Athletics left fielder Tyler Soderstrom (21) reacts after being caught stealing second during the third inning against the Houston Astros at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, California, on Sept. 23, 2025. (Sergio Estrada/Imagn Images)

In 2025, Soderstrom played primarily left field and thrived at the plate. He started 145 of the 158 games he played this year — 100 of those starts in left field — his first full major league season.

In those 158 games, he batted .276 with 25 home runs and 93 RBI with an OPS of .820, cementing himself as a key piece of the Athletics’ young core. 

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Athletics left fielder Tyler Soderstrom (21) scores a run during the fifth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, California, on Sept. 26, 2025. (Sergio Estrada/Imagn Images)

Soderstrom was on track to become eligible for arbitration after the 2026 season and for free agency after the 2029 season. Instead, he joins outfielder/designated hitter Brent Rooker (five-year, $60 million contract) and outfielder Lawrence Butler (seven-year, $65.5 million contract) as another part of the young, dynamic lineup that is locked in long term. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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Amateurism in college sports has all but disappeared. The speed at which the landscape has changed could give even the most die-hard fan whiplash.

In a new ESPN E60 special, “Paid to Play: Understanding College Sports in 2025,” Jeremy Schaap delves into how the idea of playing for school pride, tradition and the love of the game has morphed into a high-stakes name, image and likeness marketplace where athletes can play for the highest bidder — receiving direct payments from schools — and have the freedom to bolt through free agency in the form of the NCAA transfer portal.

Here are key facts about the new ESPN E60 special:

When will ‘Paid to Play: Understanding College Sports in 2025’ air?

The one-hour report debuts Sunday, Dec. 28, at 8:30 p.m. ET.

How can fans watch?

Fans can watch the debut on ESPN. The program will be available in the ESPN App immediately following the television premiere. Watch it and other reports in the E60 streaming hub.

Do you have what it takes to be an AD?

Related to the subject of the new E60 special, ESPN has an original interactive game that puts fans in the role of a college athletic director, guiding them through decisions around name, image and likeness, the transfer portal and more, and offering a dynamic and engaging look at the ever-evolving landscape of college sports.

What is ESPN E60?

Founded in 2007, E60 is ESPN’s storytelling brand that features a mix of revealing profiles, hard-hitting investigations and exclusive interviews. It has received numerous awards and accolades, including the Sports Emmy for Outstanding Hosted Edited Series for the fifth time in 2025.

How can fans access more college sports coverage from ESPN?

Check out the ESPN college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball and college sports hub pages for more content.