Which Players Have Left LIV Golf Ahead Of The 2026 Season?

During every off-season since the LIV Golf League began in 2022, there has been a good deal of turnover involving players. Sometimes, pros have arrived and left while the season was still taking place.

Yet, the amount of change in the league since Jon Rahm was crowned individual champion for the second time has made the past few months among the busiest period in the league's short history.

There have been seven completely new faces joining the league as LIV upped its field sizes from 54 to 57 while five others have either switched teams, returned to a side after a brief spell away or renewed their status as a Wild Card.

The noticeable turnover has been completed by 10 players moving on, either through choice, relegation or by simply being replaced.

Below is the full list of players to have left the LIV Golf League since the end of last season and a little information on why.

BROOKS KOEPKA

The most high-profile of LIV Golf's departures this off-season was Brooks Koepka who announced he would not be returning for the 2026 campaign back in December, despite having one year left on his contract.

In a statement, Koepka said a desire to spend more time at home with his family was the primary reason for making the call.

Then, a matter of days later and the five-time Major winner was being unveiled as a PGA Tour member once more via the circuit's Returning Member Program.

HENRIK STENSON

Henrik Stenson lost his place in the LIV Golf League after suffering relegation at the end of last season following a remarkable final day of the individual season.

In a direct battle against his Majesticks GC teammate Ian Poulter, Stenson ultimately missed out on potential security by just 0.38 points and has since gone on to reapply for DP World Tour membership.

KEVIN NA

For a while after the 2025 campaign had ended, it appeared as though Iron Heads would simply require one more player following a relegation elsewhere and not much else would change.

However, it turned out that not only was the franchise rebranding to become Korean GC but that three of the four team members would not be coming back in 2026. The most high-profile name among them was Na who was seemingly shown the door by LIV and replaced by Byeong-Hun An.

Na's future remains up in the air, but the Korean-born American may well play on the DP World Tour or Asian Tour for this season before heading back to the PGA Tour later in the year.

JINICHIRO KOZUMA

Another member of the Iron Heads to leave this winter was Jinichiro Kozuma. The Japanese pro finished 32nd in the standings last term but was not re-signed for 2026 amid the Korean GC rebrand.

Perhaps understandably, he was not particularly happy about the move before it was official, writing a semi-cryptic post on X which read: "I’m looking forward to seeing if they’re a better player than I am."

As a member of LIV last year, he will earn exemptions into the 2026 International Series on the Asian Tour, so he is expected to tee it up there this season.

YUBIN JANG

Yubin Jang was signed to the Iron Heads as a former Korean PGA Tour No.1, but his one and only term with LIV did not go at all to plan as he finished 53 with just 1.28 points.

Jang was consequently relegated and could look to rebuild his young career via the Asian Tour this year or on the DP World Tour further down the line.

MITO PEREIRA

Mito Pereira surprisingly announced back in December that he was retiring from professional golf with immediate effect at the age of 30 and returning to his home country of Chile.

Pereria, who turned professional in 2015 after attending Texas Tech University, said he had been "thoughtfully considering" his decision for "some time" and was keen to focus on his personal life once again.

The season prior, Pereira had managed a best of T13th at LIV Golf Chicago but ultimately finished in the relegation zone, leaving his future uncertain anyway.

MATT JONES

Matt Jones was a member of Cam Smith's Ripper GC since joining LIV in 2022 but suffered a poor year in 2025 and ended 40th in the standings.

Having finished among the Open Zone players, Ripper opted not to renew Jones' deal and the Australian was forced to enter LIV Golf Promotions to try and earn a spot back. He wasn't able to do so and will resume his career away from the LIV Golf League.

ANDY OGLETREE

Formerly a member of Phil Mickelson's HyFlyers GC, Andy Ogletree endured a tough season of results in 2025 with only three top-25s in 13 starts.

A best performance of T17th at LIV Golf Korea left the 2019 US Amateur champion inside the relegation zone when the music stopped and looking elsewhere for a home circuit in 2026.

Given he is a three-time Asian Tour winner, Ogletree may well aim to rediscover his form there. Exemptions into each of the International Series tournament could go a long way to a potential LIV return if he can finish among the leading places in the rankings.

CHIEH-PO LEE

Chieh-po Lee won the LIV Golf Promotions tournament in December 2024 to earn his place on the PIF-backed circuit last season, but the Taiwanese pro was unable to carry that form on.

Lee, playing as a Wild Card alongside Anthony Kim, finished T12th in Hong Kong and T13th in Chicago to avoid direct relegation, but he was not picked up by a team in the off-season and will head back to the Asian Tour for 2026.

FREDERIK KJETTRUP

One of only two contracted players to finish the season without having claimed a single point, Frederik Kjettrup's time with the LIV Golf League was disappointing to say the least.

He was signed by Martin Kaymer's men with a good deal of optimism behind him after the Dane won three times on the PGA Tour Americas in 2024, but Kjettrup appeared unable to settle and suffered a poor season which ended in relegation.

WHICH PLAYERS LEFT LIV BEFORE 2026 SEASON?

• Andy Ogletree (HyFlyers GC) - relegated
• Yubin Jang (Iron Heads GC) - relegated
• Henrik Stenson (Majesticks GC) - relegated
• Mito Pereira (Torque GC) - relegated
• Frederik Kjettrup (Cleeks GC) - relegated
• Brooks Koepka (Smash GC)
• Kevin Na (Iron Heads GC)
• Jinichiro Kozuma (Iron Heads GC)
• Matt Jones (Ripper GC)
• Chieh-po Lee (Wildcard)