After Brooks Koepka‘s departure, the Smash GC were left hanging with three players on their roster. They confirmed Talor Gooch as the captain, but still needed to fill the void left by Koepka. As per the latest reports from Flushing It, they have finally replaced their former captain with an interesting candidate.

The golf media house tweeted, “Harold Varner III has officially signed to Talor Gooch’s Smash GC on the LIV Golf League to replace the outgoing Brooks Koepka.”

Harold Varner III was an integral part of the 4Aces GC last season. He got four top-10 finishes all year long and finished 22nd on the leaderboard. That was enough for him to confirm a return to the LIV Golf roster. However, this isn’t the first time he has switched teams.

Varner III joined LIV Golf as a part of the Range Goats GC squad in 2022. Dustin Johnson‘s 4Aces GC signed him in 2024. On average, he has spent at least two years in the two clubs he has played for. But he was excited to join the Smash GC quartet for the 2026 season.

Before joining LIV Golf, Harold Varner III competed on the PGA Tour and internationally as well. He’s had a win at the Australian PGA Championship, and he claimed his first LIV Golf victory in 2023 at the Washington, D.C. event.

“Smash GC is a team that competes with confidence and edge. I’m excited to join a group that believes in what it’s building and is focused on winning. I’m ready to get to work and contribute meaningfully in 2026,” he said after making the big move.

Smash GC has consistently been a top team over the four seasons of LIV Golf. Koepka played a major role in helping his team reach those heights. However, it was Gooch who became the best performer in the squad in 2025. With him being the leader now, it will be interesting to see how the team performs.

Speaking of Gooch, he and Varner III also share an interesting connection. Perhaps that will play to their advantage this season.

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Talor Gooch has found a familiar face to replace Brooks Koepka

Playing alongside Harold Varner III instead of Brooks Koepka won’t be as challenging for Talor Gooch as one might imagine. That’s because they have shared the stage in the past, which may help build a strong Smash GC team.

As Gooch said, “Adding Harold to Smash GC is a big move for us, and I couldn’t be more excited to reunite with him in 2026. He’s proven he can compete at the highest level, and as captain, I’m excited about how he strengthens our lineup and pushes our standards forward. We’re building a team that expects to contend every week, and Harold is a big part of that.”

The Smash GC captain mentioned how he was excited to “reunite” with Varner. That’s because they have played for the same team in the past. In Gooch’s second season on LIV Golf in 2023, he was a part of the RangeGoats GC alongside Varner.

Gooch finished at the top of the individual leaderboard that year while Varner was ranked seventh. In the end, the squad led by Bubba Watson finished second in the Team Championship in 2023.

If they can recreate their magic this year, then the Smash GC squad might not miss Koepka that much.