Brooks Koepka rattled the golf world with his announcement to exit LIV Golf and rejoin the PGA Tour. But Dustin Johnson is not treating it as a moment of drama or decline. Instead, he has framed it as a simple personal decision, even as he steps into one of the most high-profile weeks of his own debut at the 2026 Hero Dubai Desert Classic.

“Look, Brooks is doing whatever he thinks is best for him. I haven’t really talked to him that much – seen him back home at practice, we played a little bit. Just haven’t talked about why or what he did it for. I can’t really comment on him. You’d have to ask him that,” Dustin Johnson told Today’s Golfer.

“I don’t really care one way or the other. Brooks can do whatever he thinks is best. Whether he plays on LIV or anywhere else, happy for him. Doesn’t matter. Doesn’t hurt us or not hurt us, I don’t think.”

Brooks Koepka’s decision and his reinstatement on the PGA Tour have created a split among professional golfers and analysts alike. Some say that it’s beneficial for the PGA Tour and its members, while others oppose it. Rory McIlroy said that having Koepka back without any major punishments would be a good thing, while Wyndham Clark was feeling torn.

It’s not like the two have not met each other since Koepka’s exit. As Dustin Johnson noted, they both stay in Jupiter, Florida, and have practiced together. However, the LIV golfer didn’t raise the topics because he felt it was Koepka’s decision. Tommy Fleetwood and Shane Lowry had similar thoughts on the 5x major champions’ LIV exit.

“Personally, I’m playing where I feel like I can still chase my dreams…” Tommy Fleetwood said, echoing similar feelings. “I think that’s what Brooks is doing. He wants to play where he feels like he can get the most out of himself and play his best golf.”

Shane Lowry also backed Koepka, saying that it’s good for him that he got off LIV Golf. He was even happy about the reinstatement, as Brooks Koepka will be playing on lesser known events, which will benefit the PGA Tour in terms of viewership.

Amid all the chaos, Dustin Johnson, who is making his debut for the DP World Tour 2026 season, is not bothered at all. The only event the DJ played on the tour since 2023 is the 2025 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Apart from that, he only played the major events in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Therefore, this marks a return on the DP World Tour for the former No. 1.

While Brooks Koepka prepares for life back on the PGA Tour through its new Returning Member Program, Dustin Johnson has doubled down on his own future. He signed a multi-year extension with LIV and will continue to captain 4Aces GC. The team has signed Belgian golfer Thomas Detry for 2026, who will join DJ, Patrick Reed, and Talor Gooch.

All of this unfolds as Johnson tees it up in Dubai for the first time. The field includes Rory McIlroy, Viktor Hovland, Shane Lowry, and fellow LIV player Tyrrell Hatton.

While DJ would like to play a few events on the DP World Tour or the PGA Tour, if possible, he would always return to LIV Golf. He even has a new member on his team now, whom he is looking forward to playing with.

Top Stories

Phil Mickelson Has the Last Laugh After PGA Tour Protege Rejected His LIV Golf Offer

‘Disturbing’ Fake Messages Force Amanda Balionis to Issue Urgent Warning

Scottie Scheffler Takes Side With Blunt 12-Word Message Days After Brooks Koepka’s Return Announcement

Sergio Garcia Received Harsh Reality Check After European Pro Rejected His LIV Golf Offer

Tiger Woods and Fans Stunned as Justin Rose Makes History at TGL Match

Thomas Detry joins Dustin Johnson’s 4Aces GC

Thomas Detry, a 33-year-old Belgian who made history as the first from his country to win on the PGA Tour, has joined Dustin Johnson’s team for the 2026 season. The signing coincides with Johnson’s multi-year contract extension, reloading the team after Harold Varner III’s departure.

Johnson personally endorsed the move in statements to media outlets. Rumors of the deal surfaced earlier in January, first reported by The Times. However, rumors turned out to be true when Detry, Johnson, and LIV Golf made the move official in mid January 2026.

Detry became the first Belgian to win on the PGA Tour by defeating Michael Kim with a whopping seven-shot margin. He carded rounds of 66-64-65-65 to finish 24 under par 260. Besides that, he also finished T7 at the 2025 Genesis Championship to secure a Race to Dubai card.

While he had exemptions to play on both the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour, Thomas Detry decided to switch to LIV Golf and join Dustin Johnson’s team.