Koepka And Johnson 'Happy' At LIV Golf - Have No Plans To Make PGA Tour Return
Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson don't plan to make a PGA Tour return even if they're allowed by the new deal - saying they're happy at LIV Golf
Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson say they have no desire to return to the PGA Tour even if allowed under the big merger - saying LIV Golf will only get bigger and better.
The future of LIV Golf and the possible reintegration of their players back onto the PGA Tour are two of the biggest questions to answer after Jay Monahan's decision to team up with Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) boss Yasir Al-Rumayyan.
Johnson insists he's happy to stay with LIV Golf, which he says will get better as a result of a deal between the PGA Tour and PIF - and certainly doesn't want to play more golf.
"I'm excited for the future," said Johnson ahead of the LIV Golf tournament at Valderrama.
"I think with this agreement, the only thing that's going to happen is LIV is going to get even better than what it is now, which it's already great. I'm happy exactly where I am, and I'm definitely not looking to play more golf than I'm playing now, that's for sure."
Koepka was not quite as fully committed as Johnson as he takes a more wait and see approach, but he's also happy where he is at the moment.
"I've been pretty happy with my decision to be here at LIV," said Koepka. "I've enjoyed it.
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"I'm not going to speak for everybody else, but I would say everybody is pretty excited, and everybody is pretty happy with where they're at right now.
"It's tough to look into the future and say - I don't have any control over what other guys do, but I know I'm happy where I'm at right now, and just take it one day at a time."
LIV schedule 'definitely helped' Major prep
Both Americans are also in agreement when it comes to their scheduling at LIV Golf, which they believe helps when it comes to preparing for Majors.
Although Johnson says he's playing about the same amount of tournaments as he has done for about the last seven years - he says the schedule has been good for Majors this year.
"For me, there hasn't really been much of a difference," said Johnson. "I've played about the same amount of tournaments I think the last seven or eight years.
"The schedule has been pretty good. We've had some breaks. There's been some stretches where we've played a lot, but we've also had some nice breaks, too.
"We had a week off after the US Open, and then coming over here, we've got a couple weeks, then get a nice break, and then obviously get ready for the Open Championship. I think our schedule has been really nice."
The fact that Phil Mickelson finished second at the Masters before Koepka won the PGA Championship reflects well on the LIV schedule, according to Koepka.
"I think it's been fantastic," said the five-time Major champion. "I think you can see the way the schedule has played out how everyone has played in Majors.
"Phil second, I got second at the Masters. Good showing by a bunch of LIV guys at the PGA, and then the US Open, as well. I think the schedule has been fantastic. It's definitely helped us in the preparation for the Majors, as well."
Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website. Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush.
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