In the saga of Brooks Koepka’s exit from LIV, the resulting ownership void runs deeper than a simple change in leadership, and the reason for it is simple.

With Brooks Koepka’s exit, LIV Golf named Talor Gooch as the new Smash GC captain, as he has signed a 3-year extension with the league. And as per LIV’s original structure, it gave captains a 25% interest in their teams, while the league kept the other 75%. Koepka’s departure leaves his quarter-share up in the air, with no public valuation and no word on whether Gooch gets the equity. This is a big problem with an ownership model that was meant to set LIV apart.

This matters more when you look at Gooch’s financial footprint. Gooch signed with LIV in 2022 for a rumored eight-figure signing bonus. His first four-year deal ended after the 2025 season. The 34-year-old has made more than $50 million on his own at LIV, which is more than five times what he made on the PGA Tour, which was $9.27 million. He won LIV’s solo title in 2023, which came with an $18 million bonus. With the money, Gooch has invested in the Professional Bull Riders’ Oklahoma Wildcatters, the Sport Fishing Championship’s Mississippi Blues Angling Club, and the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship.

Moreover, LIV increasing its financial commitments for 2026 adds an extra layer to this issue. According to reports from July 2025, the weekly prize money of LIV will increase to $30 million, with an additional $5 million for team competition. It used to be $25 million. LIV’s 13 teams operate independently, and team leaders are responsible for securing sponsorships and finding players. This puts additional financial obligation on the team leaders. Because of the focus on team economics, ownership stakes are quite important. It’s hard to say if the model will last without clear rules for equity transfers.

Despite the uncertainty that Brooks Koepka’s exit brought, Gooch is happy with his new role. He called the captaincy an “incredibly honored” position and expressed readiness to “embrace this new leadership and career challenge.”

Gooch’s promotion makes sense when you trace his trajectory. His three years at LIV built both his resume and his case for leading Smash GC through this transition.

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Talor Gooch’s path to the captaincy as Brooks Koepka exits LIV Golf

Talor Gooch was one of the league’s 12 captains when LIV Golf started in the summer of 2022 with its first event in London. He had to draft three players to round out his team. Torque GC came in fourth that week, only two shots short of the podium.

But it didn’t last long. Before the next tournament in Portland, Oregon, Gooch joined Dustin Johnson’s 4Aces GC, which was LIV Golf’s first great lineup. The team won four straight regular-season games and the Team Championship. Gooch was a key part of that success, but he also never forgot his brief time in charge.

“Ever since then, I’ve had the goal to somehow, someway, get back in that type of position,” he said.

Now, Gooch has achieved his goal, and it is the first time in league history that a player who is not a captain has been promoted to full-time captain. Gooch and Koepka played together at Smash GC from 2024 to 2025. The squad finished fourth in the 2025 rankings and received a $4M prize.

Gooch’s rise from PGA Tour player to LIV captain and investor in many sports shows some of the financial benefits that have attracted golfers to the Saudi-backed league. But the bigger question remains: what happens to equity when captains leave? LIV Golf may be scared that a 5x major winner’s exit is a leak in the dam, but the ownership issue is still hanging in the air and needs to be addressed soon, too.