The hand injury that forced Brooks Koepka out of last week's RBC Canadian Open is not quite 100% again, but "good enough" for him to fancy his chances of repeating his US Open success at Shinnecock Hills again.

Koepka claimed the 2018 US Open title at the Long Island venue and, despite suffering a hand injury just before his return, feels his game is as good now as it was then - during his famous period of Major dominance.

The five-time Major champion has been in sparkling form with his iron play all season, and after continually struggling with the putter looked to have sorted it out in Toronto until a nerve problem in his hand forced him out of the tournament.

Koepka played nine holes at Shinnecock Hills on Tuesday and although his grip strength is still not back to normal, he says his injury is "getting better day by day" and is looking forward to the week.

Koepka has been having physio on what he says is "the ulnar nerve, just flared up a little bit" in Toronto and impared his ability to grip the club with a numbing sensation in his ring and pinkie finger.

"Excited to be able to hold a golf club again," said Koepka as he spoke to the media at Shinnecock Hills. "I don't think the grip strength is a hundred percent, but it's good enough.

"It's fine. There's no pain. There's absolutely no pain, which is kind of the weirdest part of this whole thing.

"I'd almost prefer there was a little bit of pain. It would make sense why this hurts and that doesn't. It just feels like you hit your funny bone all the time."

Koepka described how the injury impacted his swing, but that he has full movement back now, if not with full grip strength again.

"The movement's fine. I can do everything," he said. "It's literally just my ring finger and pinkie finger were just kind of - at the transition coming down, they would come off. It felt like they were coming off the golf club, but they were just very weak.

"Then as soon as impact would come with the turf interaction, it felt like it was fully off."

Koepka playing 'just as good' as 2018

Koepka managed to navigate one of the toughest US Open tests at Shinnecock Hills in 2018 when at the very top of his powers.

His iron play has been elite this season but his putting was poor, until he hit his stride in Canada with a superb display on the greens that saw him ranked No.1 in the field after two rounds.

A change of flat sticks, switching to a mallet at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson finally paid off in Canada after relentless practice at home and a change in mental approach.

And if Koepka can replicate that putting display at Shinnecock, then he might just have a chance of back-to-back victories at the venue - as long as his injury holds.

"I feel just as good," he said when asked about his game compared to 2018. "I think ball striking is even better than what it's been. Putting, I had a great week putting last week. I'm excited for the challenge.

"This course can be quite difficult. You're going to have to be creative around this place and really, really work on your angles coming in. I'm excited about it, and the game feels good."

The third Major of the year is upon us and there's plenty to talk about ahead of the US Open at Shinnecock Hills.

We've got an iconic venue on Long Island but one that's seen controversy the last two times it's hosted America's national open, will the USGA learn from those lessons?

There's history on the line as Scottie Scheffler looks to join the Grand Slam club, but is his game in good enough shape?

Australian iron man Adam Scott is serving up another slice of history while at the other end of the spectrum one of the best college golfers of all time is preparing to start his pro career.

With Rory McIlroy looking to end a long drought in a tournament that arguably suits his game best, there's no shortage of storylines to keep us gripped this week.

Can Scottie Scheffler win the Grand Slam?

World No.1 Scottie Scheffler headlines at Shinnecock Hills as he chases the US Open title that will see him join Rory McIlroy and become the seventh man to win the career Grand Slam.

Although McIlroy joined last year and Jordan Spieth has a chance at the PGA Championship, don't underestimate the size of the task ahead - and why Scheffler will feel that extra weight of history.

Scheffler has already scouted Shinnecock Hills so knows his game will need to be on point - especially his short game and putting which will be key this week thanks to the devlish greens he'll face.

Scheffler's putting is the one chink in his armour in the big events - he ranked 72nd at the PGA Championship at Aronimink in putting and 51st around the greens, if he repeats that he'll have no chance at Shinnecock.

And for Scheffler he's on something of a drought, having 'only' won once this year, back in January, with his current 11 tournament winless run his longest for three years.

He's finished second three times with three other top fives so it's hardly a slump, and it'd surprise nobody if he lifted the trophy on Sunday, but he's clearly not quite at his brilliant best.

Can Rory McIlroy win perfect Major again?

The US Open was Rory McIlroy's first Major way back in 2011 when his game looked absolutely perfect for the test. It still does, and it's incredible to think he's not managed to pocket another one.

McIlroy's driving prowess should make the US Open right up his street, but in the immediate aftermath of his victory at Congressional he perhaps thought it would all come too easy for him.

The Northern Irishman earned just one top 10 and missed four cuts in the next seven US Opens, before the penny dropped about having to be more patient in what is often the toughest of the four Majors.

He then had a run of six straight top 10s including two near misses, in 2023 - chasing home Wyndham Clark in LA and his infamous 2024 meltdown at Pinehurst to allow Bryson DeChambeau to claims victory.

McIlroy's since won back-to-back Masters and is focusing more and more on the Majors, having already scouted out Shinnecock. It could be time for McIlroy to add another US Open to his trophy cabinet.

Will Shinnecock be hero or villain?

The Long Island venue is clearly one of the finest courses in the United States, but it's known more for the controversial last two US Opens at Shinnecock Hills - when the USGA was accused of losing the course.

The greens became borderline unplayable in both events, with Phil Mickelson infamously hitting a moving ball in 2018 while grounds crew had to water the greens during the final round in 2004.

The USGA’s chief championships officer John Bodenhamer has vowed to take a more hands-off approach this year, to "let Shinnecock be Shinnecock" and allow Mother Nature to provide the difficulty.

The fairways are wider than before but the greens remain as tough as you like, so both approach play and getting up-and-down will still be a problem - par will be a good score even without the USGA picking out the worst pin placements.

With strong winds expected organisers won't even have to get too tricky with the flags, and if Shinnecock is allowed to shine on its own this time it'll end up being the hero of the US Open instead of the villain.

Iron man Adam Scott joins rare century club

There's a big milestone being achieved at Shinnecock as Adam Scott makes his 100th consecutve Major appearance - joining Jack Nicklaus as the only men ever to reach three figures.

He's still got some way to go to catch the great man as Nicklaus made 146 consecutive Majors, but becoming just the second centurion is still a huge achievement for the Australian.

Being fit enough to play in 100 straight Majors is one thing, being good enough to get in to 100 straight Majors is something else, but Scott has been an ever present since making his second Open appearance in 2001.

Tom Watson managed 87 straight Majors and Sergio Garcia 86, which gives you an idea of the how tough it is to pile up 100 consecutive appearances in golf's biggest tournaments.

College superstar set to turn pro

One of the highest-rated college stars on record, Jackson Koivun will turn pro after the US Open, so all eyes will be on him at Shinnecock Hills in his last event as an amateur.

The 21-year-old led Auburn to two NCAA Championships in three years, and set all kinds of records in a college career to rival any of the greats

Data Golf had him as the highest rated amateur since it began tracking, and Koivun became the first man to win all three of college golf's top awards (Fred Haskins, Ben Hogan and Jack Nicklaus) on multiple occasions.

Now, one of college golf's greatest ever players will tee it up at the US Open before turning pro and hitting the PGA Tour at the Jon Deere Classic. He has a card through 2027 thanks to gaining enough points on the PGA Tour University’s Accelerated program.

He's had to give up a spot in The Open at Royal Brikdale to go pro, but you get the sense he won't have too many problems getting into the Majors in the future. The hype could well be real with this kid.

If any LIV Golf players are to follow Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed back to the PGA Tour they should start "at the bottom of the barrel" according to Tom Lehman - and that includes Bryson DeChambeau.

Koepka was allowed to return immediately, with a $5m fine and some other financial restraints placed upon him in terms of FedEx Cup pool bonuses and equity in the PGA Tour.

Reed has to play a longer game, though he is eligible to return on August, 12 months from his last start on LIV Golf - but neither way is palatable to 1996 Open champion Lehman.

The former USA Ryder Cup captain believes that any player who left the PGA Tour to play on LIV should have to start right at the bottom again and work their way back up the pecking order.

Lehman told Garrett Johnston that returning players should come back "without any kind of status whatsoever“ and insisted they must start "at the bottom of the barrel".

“Get in line behind the Tour School," said Lehman. “Or better yet send them to Korn Ferry Tour.

"To leave and just come back and play at any point is just wrong. Totally against that. I think that’s a terrible idea to let the guys who were not loyal to the PGA Tour leave and just walk back with nothing but a slap on the wrist, and then a let’s go boys. I think that’s just wrong.

“Start over, earn your way back. That’s what I would do."

LIV Golf CEO Scott O'Neill is still chasing down financial backers to replace the Saudi PIF when it pulls funding at the end of the season - so the league remains in a state of flux until anything official comes to light.

So players will be busy weighing up their options should LIV fail to find funding, or not find enough to keep prize funds anywhere near the level they currently are.

It could lead to some wanting to return to the PGA Tour, but just how that would work is anyone's guess, with Brian Rolapp keeping his options open.

So what should be the process for LIV golfers going back to the PGA Tour? Should they have to start at the bottom? And should Bryson DeChambeau be a special case? Let us know by joining the conversation below...

Even Bryson should start at the bottom

Lehman's thoughts have been echoed by plenty on the PGA Tour, but Rolapp knows that big names would bolster their product, and as shown with Koepka return pathways are likely to be on a case-by-case basis.

It seems obvious that someone like a Bryson DeChambeau would be welcomed back almost immediately - maybe on a simialr deal to Koepka - but not if Lehman had his way.

"I don’t care what your status is," said Lehman, who would treat even DeChambeau, one of his favorite players, the same as everyone else.

“I love Bryson. One of my favorites. He’s good enough where if you put him in that position he’ll work his way back up.

"But to put [Bryson] above guys who have loyally stayed with the Tour I think is wrong.”

A first PGA Tour title since returning from the LIV Golf League earlier this year has threatened to arrive on a couple of occasions for Brooks Koepka, but fate has intervened each time and his quest looks set to continue past this week.

Following significant cases of 'what if?' at the Cognizant Classic and The CJ Cup where one horrible round vanquished any prospect of a first PGA Tour victory since 2021, the RBC Canadian Open was the site of another frustrating chapter for Koepka on Saturday.

The five-time Major winner was well in the hunt through 36 holes at TPC Toronto thanks to rounds of 64 and 68 and attention was turning to whether one of the biggest names in the field could enjoy his 'welcome back' moment on Sunday.

However, a two-over-par score of 72 on Moving Day threw Koepka back down the leaderboard and outside the top-30 with only 18 holes to change his fate.

The challenge would have been particularly tough with Koepka at full strength, but the 36-year-old shared after a disappointing Saturday - which featured a lost ball on the second and could have been worse if not for a pair of late birdies - that he was struggling to grip the club and isn't 100% sure on his fitness.

Koepka said: "Yeah, I don't know what it is. I'm struggling to grip the club with my ring finger and pinkie finger, so can't grip it.

"So the club is kind of just, my fingers would come loose, it was kind of numb. I don't know what the deal was but hopefully we'll figure it out."

Koepka revealed he received treatment on the 11th tee box and hadn't suffered with the problem before, also sharing the timeline relating to his issue.

He said: "Yeah, the whole warm-up, I felt fine, I was absolutely good. Then got to the range and went to grip the club and I just couldn't even grip it.

"So it lasted -- it was all day. Felt better the last few holes. I don't know if that's just the meds kicked in or what it is. But hopefully we'll figure it out now."

Injuries are never ideal for a pro, but the timing will arguably be even more frustrating for the two-time US Open winner given the third men's Major of the year takes place at Shinnecock Hills next week.

The second of Koepka's US Open victories arrived on Long Island in 2018 and, given his recent upturn in putting form, the former LIV player may well fancy his chances of repeating history - unless another twist of fate prevents him from having the opportunity.

Brooks Koepka finally found the key to putting just in time for his US Open return to Shinnecock Hills, as he produced a stellar opening two rounds on the greens at the RBC Canadian Open.

He's been desperately searching for an answer to his putting woes, switching flat sticks a few times, but with a new model of putter bedding in nicely, a change of mental approach seemed to unlock his potential just in time for the US Open.

Koepka is the defending US Open champion at Shinnecock Hills, where he won his second successive title in 2018, following on from his breakthrough win 12 months earlier at Erin Hills.

And judging by the last two US Opens held at Shinnecock, it's a course where your putting needs to be right on point to survive.

The 36-year-old has been one of the elite ball strikers on the PGA Tour since his return from LIV Golf, but he's been held back by his putting struggles - if he can put it all together again then watch out for him at Shinnecock.

After chopping and changing flat sticks, a switch to a mallett at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson looks to have done the trick, judging by his efforts at the RBC Canadian Open.

Koepka had two good rounds and two bad rounds at the Byron Nelson, but produced a superb first round in Toronto on the greens - holing 108 feet of putts and gaining 3.491 strokes putting.

He followed that up with 3.380 Strokes Gained: Putting in the second round with over 112 feet of putts holed, to see Koepka in unfamiliar territory as the No.1 ranked putter in the field at the Canadian Open.

After entering the tournament 136th in Strokes Gained: Putting on the PGA Tour, it was a huge turnaround for Koepka after previously only managing to pick up strokes on the greens in two of his past six starts.

Conversely, Koepka came to Canada as the best ball striker in the field in the last three months, with a long game he felt was more than good enough to challenge for wins - but being scuppered by his putter.

"I've played great this year," said Koepka. "It's just the putting that's held me back.

"I just need that putter to heat up. I feel like I’ve been knocking on the door playing good enough to win, playing good enough to have a chance on Sunday, it’s just been the putter that’s holding me back.

"It was just a culmination of kind of freeing the mind. If you just change one thing, move the ball position back a little bit with the putter and kind of help be free up the mechanical side of it and not really think of anything other than just have it slightly a bit back of where it's been."

Koepka has said for a while that his game was near to its best again, aside from his putting, but if he has now truly found his form on the putting surfaces then he'll be one to watch back on familiar territory at the US Open.

There's been a fair bit of movement in the LIV Golf roster for the 2026 season, but how have those players that left got on?

We're at the halfway point of the year and there's been differing fortunes for those players that were either relegated, dropped or left by their own accord.

Headlined of course by Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed's high-profile departures, but with several other stars relegated from LIV Golf after the 2025 season ended.

But what's life been like since they left LIV Golf?

Brooks Koepka

Brooks Koepka paid a hefty price to leave LIV Golf and return to the PGA Tour, and on the course it's not been an easy transition.

The five-time Major champion claims the move has seen him fall back in love with golf, and insists he loves the grind on the PGA Tour.

He's missed out on the Signature Events but has had some decent results - coming T9 at the Cognizant Classic and T12 at The Masters.

Overall he's made eight cuts from 11 events played, with six finishes of 18th or better and one top 10.

His game has generally been pretty good, with his iron play ranking third best on the PGA Tour and only his big putting woes holding him back.

A recent putter switch may have unlocked something on the greens though so all-in-all he'll be happy enough with his return so far.

Patrick Reed

Patrick Reed wasn't afforded the same Returning Member Program benefit as Koepka so isn't eligible to play on the PGA Tour until August.

But he's not let that stop him from having by any measure a fine season so far though, when combining the DP World Tour with the Majors.

Reed was on an amazing heater out in the Middle East, winning the Dubai Desert Classic and Qatar Masters either side of losing a play-off for the Bahrain Championship.

And he's been a constant threat in the Majors too, with a T12 finish at The Masters followed up by a T10 at the PGA Championship.

Reed's just a top player wherever he tees it up.

Henrik Stenson

One of the biggest names to get relegated from LIV Golf, the Majesticks co-captain and one-time prospective Ryder Cup captain Henrik Stenson dropped out of the league in 2025.

The Swede had a lengthy break from golf, but after turning 50 in April he made his return at the Senior PGA Championship - finishing T47.

Stenson then finished T20 at the Barbados Legends event hosted by Ian Woosnam on the Staysure Legends Tour and plans to be much busier in the summer.

The Senior US Open, the Open Championship and the Senior Open are all on Stenson's schedule and he may even make an appearance or two on the DP World Tour now he has membership status back.

Kevin Na

Kevin Na left LIV Golf in January as his Iron Heads GC was rebranded to form Korean GC.

He started his post-LIV career with a T19 at the New Zealand Open on the Asian Tour, before missing the cut at the ISPS Handa Japan-Australasia Championship - which is co-sanctioned by the Japan Golf Tour and the PGA Tour of Australasia.

Na then stepped up a level to make his first DP World Tour appearance in five years at the Volvo China Open - finishing T60.

He'll follow that with a fourth post-LIV event at the upcoming Austrian Alpine Open this week in what has been a relatively low-key year so far.

Matt Jones

Matt Jones was dropped by Rippers GC after finishing 40th in 2025, with Cam Smith deciding to make the switch as Elvis Smylie was brought in.

The veteran didn't make it back through the LIV Golf Promotions event but did finish eighth to receive an exemption for the Asian Tour's International Series.

He's played in just one event so far - missing the cut at the Singapore Open at Sentosa Golf Club.

Mito Pereira

The most shocking move following LIV Golf came when Mito Pereira announced his retirement from golf aged just 30.

The Chilean was just one good swing away from winning the PGA Championship in 2022 when his wayward drive at the 72nd hole cost him a double bogey and the Wanamaker Trophy.

Just over three years later and still in the prime of his career Pereira announced he was hanging up his clubs after his relegation from LIV Golf.

Andy Ogletree

Former US Amateur champion Andy Ogletree has been campaigning on the Asian Tour after his LIV Golf relegation.

He's played four times, missed the cut twice and finished T12 twice to sit in 25th on the Asian Tour's Order of Merit.

The T12 finishes came in his first two events of the year, the International Series Japan and Singapre Open.

He's missed the cuts in his last two events, both in Korea, at the Maekyung Open and Kolon Korea Open.

Yubin Jang

Yubin Jang lasted just one season on LIV Golf before being relegated immediately after a poor debut campaign.

He's been playing a combination of the Korean PGA Tour and Asian Tour so far with seven events under his belt.

He finished T19 at the International Series Japan, T44 on the Maekyung Open and T23 at the Korea Open.

The closest he's come to winning has been his runner-up spot at the Woori Financial Group Championship.

Chieh-Po Lee

Chieh-po Lee played his way into LIV Golf as he won the 2024 LIV Golf Promotions tournament, but the Taiwanese pro couldn't make it stick and was relegated.

He's been active playing on the Korean and Taiwan PGA Tours as well as the Asian Tour - with a best finish of fifth at the Chang Wah Open from his seven starts in 2026.

Jinichiro Kozuma

Jinichiro Kozuma was unhappy to say the least when he was released following the Iron Heads' big rebrand into Korean GC.

Kozuma has returned to the Japan Golf Tour along with some Asian Tour starts in his eight tournaments of 2026.

His best so far is a T5 at the Maezawa Cup and his worst finish is T44 after making the cut in all eight tournaments.

Frederik Kjettrup

A college star who turned pro in 2024 and quickly piled up three wins on the PGA Tour Americas, Frederik Kjettrup opted to join LIV Golf rather than take up his Korn Ferry Tour status.

He signed for Martin Kaymer's Cleeks but struggled and failed to win a single point as he was relegated after his debut season.

Instead of playing the Korn Ferry Tour and challenging for PGA Tour status, the Dane is now plying his trade on the Asian Tour.

Kjettrup has missed two cuts from three appearances with a T17 at the Singapore Open his best finish so far.

Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the Charles Schwab Challenge.

The former LIV Golfer, who resumed his PGA Tour career at the start of the year via the Returning Member Program, had been in the field for the Colonial Country Club event, which begins on Thursday May 28th.

However, his withdrawal was confirmed on Sunday, the same day he finished T14 at another Texas event, the CJ Cup Byron Nelson.

That was Koepka’s third event in as many weeks, having also placed T11 at the ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic and T55 at the PGA Championship.

While no reason has been given for Koepka’s withdrawal, his busy schedule will continue soon afterwards, with the five-time Major winner confirmed for the RBC Canadian Open.

The TPC Toronto event begins on June 11th, before Koepka heads to Shinnecock Hills for the US Open, where he will bid to claim the title for the third time after his 2018 victory at the venue.

Koepka’s withdrawal from the Charles Schwab Challenge appears to end his chances of competing in the next Signature Event on the schedule, the Memorial Tournament.

His routes to the Muirfield Village event were via the Aon Next 10, the Aon Swing 5, reaching the world’s top 30 or winning a tournament.

He is not in the Aon Next 10 or Aon Swing 5, with the players to qualify for the Memorial Tournament via them due to be finalized after the Charles Schwab Challenge.

Despite a generally solid return to PGA Tour action in 2026, Koepka hasn’t yet won a tournament this year either. Meanwhile, he is still considerably short of the world’s top 30, with his latest performance seeing him rise six places to 105th.

Koepka isn’t the only player who has withdrawn from the Charles Schwab Challenge. Denny McCarthy and David Ford have also pulled out, with Jimmy Stanger and Brice Garnett their replacements.

However, there is no replacement for Koepka, meaning the field goes back to 132.

Could Brooks Koepka have finally found his best putting form again?

It certainly looked that way judging by his performance on the greens during his eight-under round of 63 at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson on Thursday.

Koepka made another putter switch for this week's PGA Tour event, returning to the Scotty Cameron Fastback 1.5 - and it did the trick as he posted his second-best putting round of the season.

Koepka was 10th in the field at TPC Craig Ranch with his +2.563 Strokes Gained: Putting only bettered this season by his second round at the Cognizant Classic.

"Finally, I felt good with the putter," said Koepka after his round. "I felt good the last few days with it when I was working in my studio.

"Then when I got here, it felt very comfortable. Rick said the same thing from watching. Which also kind of helps build a little confidence, what you feel versus the reality of it.

"Just happy with the way everything went today."

Koepka detailed before the tournament how he's been grinding away in a home putting studio he has at his house - working on both his stroke and with a variety of different flat sticks.

And if Koepka has managed to find the key on the greens then he could be in business as the rest of his game has been more than solid this year.

Brooks Koepka's season stats

Overall, Koepka ranked eighth tee-to-green on the PGA Tour this season, but his putting was way below standard as he came in down in 141st.

He's been slightly hit-and-miss both off the tee and around the greens, ranking 41st and 48th respectively but in general the numbers have been pretty solid.

Koepka's driving numbers have also been positive ever since The Masters, when he noticed his driver was on the wrong setting.

It's with the irons that Koepka has really impressed so far this year though - ranking third on the PGA Tour in Strokes Gained: Approach this season.

He's had some nightmares on the greens though, with numbers such as -2.39 in Strokes Gained: Putting at the Farmers Insurance Open and -1.64 at the WM Phoenix Open.

"I feel like I'm in complete control," Koepka said of his overall game pre-tournament, but admitted that not seeing putts drop was annoying him into making mistakes with his approaches at the PGA Championship.

Now, after such a good start, he hopes to keep it going and challenge for a first regular PGA Tour victory since the 2021 WM Phoenix Open.

"I feel like I've been playing well, the results just haven't been there, mainly because of the putter, but I feel like I'm knocking on the door, and I'm very, very close," said Koepka. "I would love to have a chance come Sunday."

It's been a tough return from LIV Golf so far for Koepka, but with the rest of his game in such good order, if Koepka has finally found the right putting formula then the rest of the PGA Tour will need to watch out.

Brooks Koepka is trying out another new putter at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson this week, saying he has more options for making changes back on the PGA Tour than he had during his time at LIV Golf.

As he plays his third week in a row, Koepka insists he has "fallen back in love" with the grind of playing on the PGA Tour.

Koepka also says that returning to the PGA Tour has given him better access to equipment trucks at events to make tweaks than at LIV Golf.

He also named what he felt was almost "a PGA Tour club" that he has only really seen since his return.

Koepka says his driving and iron play have both been "fantastic" of late but it's clear his putting has been his Achilles heel all year.

He's 141st on the PGA Tour in putting this season just to make the point - while he's third in approach play showcasing how well he's been hitting his irons.

And to help try and solve the issue this week Koepka has switched to a Scotty Cameron Fastback 1.5 for the CJ Cup - after some extensive practice with it.

"Switched putters again this week for something I feel like released on its own, something I've been fighting a little bit," said Koepka.

"I think it's one I've had. I might have used it in Singapore maybe last year, two years ago. I've used it before.

"It's something that just feels good in my hands. So hopefully I can just kind some confidence with it and build some momentum off of it.

"Hopefully I can just find some momentum with it and really kind of start building the groundwork and work my way up from there."

More equipment options on PGA Tour

When asked if any LIV golfers had been in touch about what his PGA Tour return had been like, Koepka responed: "I changed my number a while ago, so I don't think many guys have my number, which is great. So I haven't had to worry about too much of that."

And on his return, Koepka says it has been "a little bit overwhelming" to have better access to tour trucks to make changes on the PGA Tour.

"It's totally different," said Koepka. "Just to have so many options, it's maybe a little bit overwhelming, because access to equipment trucks, grip changes, things like that, sometimes I wasn't privy to over the last four, five years. During majors was kind of the only time you saw it.

"So to be back out here and have the opportunity to if you need to make a slight change in something, it's a whole lot easier.

"Just more access to everything, I think, has been a huge advantage."

Koepka added that one club he'd not seen much of on LIV Golf was the mini driver.

"The mini driver, I haven't even - I don't want to say, but it's kind of like - it feels like a PGA Tour club because I never saw it until maybe the end of last year," he added,

"I watched guys hit it. It's only out here. I haven't seen many other guys use it."

Koepka enjoying the PGA Tour grind

Koepka has no qualms playing for a third week running at the CJ Cup, and stated again how much he's enjoying being back on the PGA Tour grind.

"Every week is a new fresh start for me, and obviously with my penalty I'm not allowed to play every event, and if I get the chance to tee up, I want to play," said Koepka.

"I've mentioned it a couple times, I've kind of fallen back in love with this. I'm enjoying the grind. I'm enjoying battling it out here.

"It's just a newfound love, a newfound passion for the game, and something that I'm really, really enjoying being back on the road and grinding it out and trying to find it in the dirt. I think there's something to be said about that.

"Each week is becoming more and more fun, and I very much enjoy that."

Brooks Koepka has a great history of performing well at the PGA Championship, having won the tournament three times in the past decade.

He's enjoyed a relatively successful first day at Aronimink Golf Club on Thursday, too, shooting one-under to be just a couple of shots behind the leaders.

However, Koepka was very disappointed with one aspect of his game and, looking at the statistics, it's easy to see why.

The disparity between Koepka's play on the fairways compared to on the greens was huge. So much so, that the 36-year-old actually ranked near the top of the pile for Strokes Gained in ball striking, while he was nearly dead last for Strokes Gained: Putting.

Looking at the numbers, Koepka gained three-and-a-half shots in approach play, but lost two strokes on the greens with the flatstick.

Koepka put a new putter in his bag recently — the TaylorMade Spider Tour F — but it doesn't seem to be paying off as things stand. He registered 32 putts in the first round and ranked 142nd on the day for putting, which leaves him almost dead last in the field in that area.

Still, the man himself was quick to admit his flaws after his round at Aronimink.

Asked by the media about his confidence levels and his overall play on the day, Koepka said: "I feel good. Every round just seems to be the worst I can shoot. Putter is absolutely horrendous. Ball striking is absolutely phenomenal.

"That's been the story of the year. Hopefully we can figure out a way to turn this around."

He was later questioned about his equipment changes in the wake of leaving Srixon behind and how this might have affected his play.

"Everything feels fine. I like the way I'm striking it. I like the flight, the spin; everything's been the same way for the past couple months," he added.

"I feel comfortable with the putter. A little bit of speed, a little bit of confidence. That kind of sums it up. It's just been miss after miss. It's tough to build any confidence when you're not putting well."

Claiming the coveted PGA Championship title is one of the four steps any golfer needs to take if they want to become a Grand Slam winner.

The second Major of the golfing season is unique in that it's the only Major that only allows professionals to compete, giving it an extra air of prestige.

The event has been running since way back in 1916, when a match play format was used, before converting to strokeplay in 1958 and becoming the tournament we know and love today.

Of course, with great prestige comes great payouts, and the PGA Championship purse is naturally among the biggest in the golfing world.

Winning the Wanamaker Trophy is one thing, but landing a share of the huge purse is a very nice bonus indeed.

While Jack Nicklaus holds the records for the most wins at the PGA Championship (during the strokeplay era), he doesn't come close to featuring on the all-time list of top earners from the event.

Interestingly, when we look at the top 10 earners in PGA Championship history, there are two golfers who haven't actually won the tournament.

Justin Rose takes tenth place, with earnings of $3,540,011 across a whopping 23 events. The British star's best finish at the PGA Championship was a tie for third back in 2012, which earned him $384,500.

Bryson DeChambeau is also on the list in seventh with earnings of $4,636,217. He's racked up that impressive amount from just eight involvements in the PGA Championship, with back-to-back second place finishes in 2024 and 2025 earning him $2,837,332 alone.

It probably doesn't come as much of a surprise, at least when you really think about it, that Brooks Koepka is at the top of the PGA Championship money list. He's won the tournament more than anyone else in the past couple of decades with three triumphs coming in 2018, 2019, and 2023.

Koepka is clear out in front, too, with earnings of $9,456,726 from 13 events putting him well ahead of Tiger Woods, who comes in second place with winnings of $7,354,862 from 23 events.

Woods did win the tournament four times (in 1999, 2000, 2006, and 2007), but the money on offer back then is nothing compared to where the game of golf is now.

With 32 involvements, Phil Mickelson is the golfer in the top 10 who has featured in the PGA Championship the most, and his earnings of $6,510,066 put him third in the all-time list.

That's not much of a shock considering Lefty also made the cut in 27 out of those 32 events with two victories.

He's followed by another two-time winner, Rory McIlroy. His wins in 2012 and 2014 earned him a combined $3,245,000 towards his total of $6,349,228 over the years.

Rounding out the top five is 2025 PGA Championship winner Scottie Scheffler. That win secured Scheffler $3.42m last year, and he's already earned $6,152,768 from just six events.

The rest of the top 10 includes Justin Thomas ($5,672,581) thanks to his two victories at the PGA Championship in 2017 and 2022.

2015 champion Jason Day ($4,369,608) is in eighth place and Xander Schauffele, who won in 2024, comes in ninth with earnings of $4,363,822 across nine involvements in the PGA Championship.

Another triumph this year for McIlroy or Scheffler would send them to the top of the pile ahead of Koepka, but that man will be desperate to add a fourth title to his name and extend his lead at the top of the money list.

Brooks Koepka has parted ways with Srixon Golf after five years, it has been announced.

Dunlop Sports Americas announced the news in a press release, stating: "Dunlop Sports Americas and Brooks Koepka have mutually agreed to conclude their endorsement partnership, effective immediately.

"Over the course of their relationship, Brooks served as an exceptional ambassador for the Srixon and Cleveland Golf brands. His commitment to competing at the highest level of the game, including a major championship victory with Srixon and Cleveland Golf equipment in play, exemplified the performance standard both brands stand for.

"Dunlop Sports Americas is proud of what was accomplished together and grateful for the professionalism and dedication Brooks brought to the partnership. DSA wishes him continued success on the PGA TOUR."

The five-time Major Champion joined the Japanese manufacturer in November 2021, having first put a set of the brand's irons in play at the start of the year.

Koepka was Srixon's highest-profile player and went on to win his fifth Major title at the 2023 PGA Championship during the partnership. The Floridian has been using Srixon ZX7 Mk II irons, Cleveland RTZ wedges - which fall under the Dunlop/Srixon company - as well as the Srixon Z-Star Diamond ball.

He currently uses a Titleist GT3 driver as well as a TaylorMade M2 Tour 3 wood and a Nike 3-iron, both of which have been in the bag for multiple years.

Koepka recently switched out of his Z-Star Diamond and back to a Titleist golf ball. That was his latest gear change following a move to a TaylorMade Spider X Tour putter.

The former World No.1 was a free agent from late-2016 up until signing with the brand, and won his first four Majors with a TaylorMade driver, the M2 Tour wood, Nike utility iron, Mizuno irons, Titleist wedges, a Scotty Cameron putter and a Titleist ball.

Koepka rejoined the PGA Tour to start 2026 after leaving LIV Golf following four seasons on the rival circuit. He came back via the newly introduced Returning Member Program, which came with multiple penalties after his nine-figure LIV Golf move.

He is unable to receive sponsor's invitations into Signature Events, has paid a $5m charitable donation, is not eligible for the PGA Tour's Player Equity Program for five years and also cannot receive FedEx Cup bonus money this year.

The 35-year-old has played seven times so far this season, with best finishes of T9 at the Cognizant Classic and T12 at The Masters.

Brooks Koepka's return to the PGA Tour will take in an opposite-field event at the Myrtle Beach Classic.

Koepka has been confirmed for the Myrtle Beach Classic next week, which is being played as an alternate event alongside the Truist Championship at Quail Hollow.

As part of Koepka's return deal, he's not allowed to receive sponsor invites into the Signature Events, as witnessed by him playing a waiting game as a first alternate for the RBC Heritage.

Having failed to get a spot at Harbour Town the 35-year-old is now also a second alternate for the Cadillac Championship this week at Doral, hoping to get a late place in the field.

With the PGA Championship approaching though, Koepka can't afford to be standing idle so has added the Myrtle Beach Classic to his schedule.

Three-time Wanamaker Trophy winner Koepka will bid for a fourth PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club outside of Philadelphia starting May 14.

Koepka has made eight PGA Tour starts since his return from LIV Golf, with just one top 10 so far, but there have been some good underlying numbers in his performances.

He's second in Strokes Gained: Approach this season and two of his best results have come in the biggest events - with a T13 at The Players Championship and T12 at The Masters.

A victory at Myrtle Beach would see Koepka get invites to the final two Signature Events of the season at the Memorial Tournament and Travelers Championship.

While that will be his aim, just getting his game into shape for the PGA Championship is likely the main focus.

And as shown with his stats his iron play has been superb at times, with the main letdown being on the greens so far this year.

He may still get into the Cadillac Championship if players withdraw late on.

As we head into the weekend of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, there will be some big names missing after they failed to make the cut.

The tournament, which sees golfers team up in pairs for the event at TPC Louisiana, has proven to be very tricky indeed through its first two rounds.

Most notably, Shane Lowry, who teamed up with Brooks Koepka for the first time this week, will not be playing the weekend.

Lowry and Koepka shot nine-under over two days, posting an opening round of 66 and a 69 in the second round.

However, the cut line this weekend ended up being a challenging 10-under and their blossoming partnership has been halted already.

Other prominent pairings to fall at the hurdle include Tony Finau and Max Greyserman (-9), Christo Lamprecht and Neal Shipley (-6), and Kevin Yu and Tom Kim (-4).

Only 35 pairings made it beyond this harsh cut line, meaning more than half the field has been sent packing ahead of round three.

It prompted Michael Kim, who was watching along at home, to tweet: "Can't tell if Zurich is the toughest tournament to win or the easiest. Sneaky hard cut to make."

That cut line was enough to have defending champions Ben Griffin and Andrew Novak sweating over their fate.

A birdie on the 15th helped their cause, with Griffin sending his tee shot close to the pin for Novak to wrap up the hole.

There were clutch moments for the likes of David Lipsky, who holed out from the bunker to send himself and Rico Hoey through by the skin of their teeth. Likewise, Ben Kohles sunk a 34-foot putt to help him and Lanto Griffin over the line.

We also saw Max McGreevy and Kevin Roy seal their place with a birdie on the 18th, while one of the youngest pairings in the field, 18-year-old Blades Brown and 22-year-old Luke Clanton, made it through in style with birdies on their final three holes.

Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer currently hold the solo lead at 16-under. The Fitzpatrick brothers (Matt and Alex) are T2nd alongside Davis Thompson/Austin Eckroat and Billy Horschel/Tom Hoge.

After Matt Fitzpatrick's win at the RBC Heritage, a victory alongside his brother would be twice as sweet as it would secure Alex his PGA Tour card for next season.

Brooks Koepka has missed out on a maiden appearance in a PGA Tour Signature Event at the RBC Heritage.

The five-time Major winner was first alternate for the event, and would have been given a place in the 82-player field had there been a late withdrawal at Harbour Town.

Koepka was pictured on-site on Thursday in anticipation of that possibility, but when the final group of Max Homa and Sudarshan Yellamaraju teed off at 2.10pm ET for their opening round, his chance disappeared.

Koepka rejoined the PGA Tour via its Returning Member Program, which came with certain conditions.

One was that, while he was able to make an immediate return to full-field tournaments, he wouldn’t be eligible for sponsor’s exemptions into Signature Events.

That left him needing to earn his way into them via the - Aon Next 10, Aon Swing 5, winning a tournament or reaching the world's top 30.

Though Koepka has made several PGA Tour starts since his return, he is yet to win an event, while he’s not currently in the world’s top 30.

Koepka, who was also spotted at the course with the star of US reality TV show Southern Charm on Wednesday, wasn’t among the names in the Aon Swing 5 following its last eligible event before the RBC Heritage, the Valero Texas Open, which just left the Aon Next 10.

Everyone between 11th and 19th is in the field, with Michael Thorbjornsen the last of those to get the nod after Justin Rose’s withdrawal earlier in the week.

With Koepka 20th on the list and therefore next in line to play, it left the tantalizing possibility of his first start in one of the big $20m events with just one more withdrawal.

Had there been a withdrawal and Koepka had started, it would have also given places to Keith Mitchell and Taylor Moore, per the conditions of the Returning Member Program. However, without a last-minute withdrawal, it left all three missing out.

As a result of not getting a place in the field, Koepka’s next start will come at the team event, the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, where he will join forces with Shane Lowry.

The TPC Louisiana event begins on April 23rd.

Brooks Koepka hasn’t played in a Signature Event since returning to the PGA Tour via its Returning Member Program.

However, that could be about to change, with the former LIV Golfer the next in line for a place in the RBC Heritage field, should another player pull out in the lead-up to the Harbour Town event.

Three days before the tournament, Justin Rose withdrew following his Masters agony, where he led by two in the final round before letting it slip on his way to a T3.

Michael Thorbjornsen was listed as the first alternate, and he replaces Rose in the 82-player field, but next in line is Koepka.

Koepka’s return to the PGA Tour came with several conditions. One was that, while he was able to make an immediate return to full-field tournaments, he wouldn’t be eligible for sponsor’s exemptions into Signature Events.

That means he can only play in them via qualifying through the usual means - Aon Next 10, Aon Swing 5, winning a tournament or reaching the world's top 30.

Though Koepka has made several PGA Tour starts since his return, he is yet to win an event, while he’s not currently in the world’s top 30.

Koepka also wasn’t among the names in the Aon Swing 5 following its last eligible event before the RBC Heritage, the Valero Texas Open, which just leaves the Aon Next 10.

Patrick Rodgers and Pierceson Coody are in the field despite sitting 11^th and 12th, respectively, because Adam Scott, who is fifth, isn’t playing and ninth-placed Jordan Spieth qualifies via his current FedEx Cup ranking.

Koepka is currently 20th on the list, and all the players between 13th and 19th are now in the field via other categories, too, including sponsor’s exemptions, the Aon Swing 5 and previous year’s FedEx Cup ranking.

As a result, Koepka is now just one more withdrawal away from getting the green light to tee it up at the $20m tournament alongside the likes of defending champion Justin Thomas and previous winners Scottie Scheffler and Matt Fitzpatrick.

Five-time Major champion Brooks Koepka feels liks his game is in great shape with just one missing piece he's hoping to find this week in Houston to ensure he can challenge at The Masters.

Koepka's PGA Tour return made big headlines but he's gone slightly under the radar recently as he reintegrated and worked on his game - especially his putting.

As The Masters fast approaches Koepka says "I love the way I'm playing" and some stats prove why - as he led the entire PGA Tour in Strokes Gained: Approach this season heading into the Texas Childrens Houston Open.

He even warned that he could be close to his all-conquering 2017-19 form when he picked up four of his five Majors and was the dominant force in golf's biggest events.

He's fixed a recent issue with his driver and despite sitting in 127th in putting on the PGA Tour Koepka says a switch of flat stick this season is starting to pay off.

"I feel like I've been playing really well," said Koepka. "Scoring just hasn't quite been there, but ball-striking is really well, putting's starting to come around, feeling really well with that.

"I like the way the game's trending. Sometimes it's not always about the finishes, it's about how I feel, and I feel very good, very confident going into Augusta in a few weeks."

Koepka close to 2017-19 form ahead of Masters

Koepka admitted that his putting had reached breaking point leading to the change to the popular TaylorMade Spider and a cracked driver that cost him crucial shots at the Valspar recently has also been sorted.

"It's been two-plus years of poor putting and poor mechanics. Just reset all that," Koepka added.

"Obviously the putter change, and then a lot of mechanical work. Spent quite a bit of time with Mike just grinding on it and really fine tuning everything.

"The strokes gained for the iron play, the iron play's been great. Driver wasn't great, but I think that driver head was a little mashed. We checked it out on TrackMan yesterday and it was a bit spinny, so I don't know if it had a little crack in it or something was going wrong with it.

"We've got that sorted now. That cost me easily six, seven shots last week.

"The putting was a huge thing. I feel like it's been so different because I was putting so terribly, I felt like I had to birdie the hole almost from the fairway or from the tee box, where now I can sit back and kind of play golf how I used to play in '17, '19."

As the stats table below shows, Koepka's overall putting stats are poor, but he's had to recover from a horror show at Torrey Pines and signs have been decent recently, while that cracked driver at the Valspar accounts for a dip there.

And overall the approach play is superb - something which always needs to be on point at Augusta.

With three straight top-20 finishes Koepka insists his game "is rounding into form" and the only thing lacking in his prep for Augusta is to contend down the stretch on a Sunday again.

"I love the way I'm playing," said Koepka. "Just want to put myself in contention here for the first time before Augusta.

"I do feel like it is ready. The only thing is I really haven't put myself in contention with nine holes to go. That's really the last missing piece that I feel like I need to accomplish here before Augusta.

"But the game feels good. Everything's trending in a nice direction."

Koepka has missed the cut three out of the last five Masters, but did finish second behind Jon Rahm in 2023 when he admitted he threw it away when leading.

What we do know about Koepka is that he's the ultimate competitor, and if he gets his game anywhere near to his glory Major-winning days then he'll be one to watch at Augusta National.

There was a lot of talk about PGA National being too easy, but Brooks Koepka didn't see it that way as he struggled in the opening round of the Cognizant Classic.

A three-over round of 74 sees Koepka now struggling to make the cut at the Cognizant Classic, with three bogeys and a shocker of a double bogey during his opening round.

And it's clear to see where his problems lie looking at his stats, with his chipping and putting numbers among the worst in the entire field.

It's not the start he wanted to his hometown event and not what he wanted to see from his new putter.

The five-time Major champion's day was summed up by his double bogey on 17, when he overhit a chip right across the green and into the mud on the edge of the lake.

Koepka had to take his shoe and sock off to play an escape from the PGA National mud, but could only fat his effort halfway up the bank, which ultimately resulted in a five on the testing par three.

Koepka wasn't the only one as the final hole of the infamous Bear Trap claimed a few casualties while ranking as the hardest hole on the course in round one - with eight double bogeys or worse and just five birdies all day.

It was symptomatic of Koepka's problems all day, as his struggles increased the closer he got to the hole.

He talked about PGA National being an easier chipping course now that it's been overseeded but really struggled as he ranked 120th in Strokes Gained: Around The Green losing 2.296 strokes to the field.

And he was only slightly better on the greens as he ranked 110th in Strokes Gained there with -2.165 as he continues to try and dial in his new TaylorMade Spider Tour X mallet.

Koepka did make one 36-foot bomb for birdie on the sixth, but missed four birdie chances on his opening four holes between 9-11 feet, followed by a 10 footer for par.

He also missed two further par putts from around five feet so there's obviously still plenty of work for him to do to settle with his new flat stick.

But Koepka may not have too much time as he starts the second round in T98 on three over and in a big battle to try and make the cut.

The Cognizant Classic has a couple of problems such as this year's field and being in a tough spot in the schedule, and the overseeding at PGA National has been discussed as another issue.

PGA National was fully overseeded last year and that saw Joe Highsmith win with a record low score of 19 under at the Palm Beach Gardens course, while Jake Knapp shot a 59 in the first round.

With plenty of water hazards and the infamous Bear Trap finish, PGA National was seen as one of the tougher tests on the schedule, but many feel the overseeding of Bermuda grass with rye grass has lessened the challenge.

And it's something that one player says the PGA Tour has to gain control of over the course owners, who have the final say.

Aesthetically the overseeding helps the course look greener for the TV audience, but players such as Billy Horschel, Brooks Koepka and Shane Lowry say it also makes it easier.

The overseeding just takes some fire out of PGA National, having an overall softening effect which in particular makes chipping around the greens a lot easier than on straight Bermuda

"Chipping around the greens has gotten a lot easier," said Brooks Koepka as he returns to the event for the first time since 2022.

"I definitely think they [scores] will be lower just because of the overseed. I think you saw last year with Jake, those scores are definitely possible. Not saying anybody is going to do it this year. They very well could, but it's definitely gotten easier.

"Now with it being a little bit more consistent, I think you've got a reasonable chance of making - holing a chip or even getting it up-and-down.

"It was always a little bit - not sketchy, but anybody that knows or lives down on the East Coast knows that Bermuda isn't exactly the easiest thing to chip off of, especially when it's been trampled down over plenty of days and it's a little grainy into.

"But now at least you can get under the ball and have good contact with it. It makes chipping a lot easier."

Koepka does like a lot of the other changes to the course that have been made since his last appearance, adding: "It's the best I've seen this course in probably my 15 years, 20 years down here."

Is PGA National now too easy? Should the PGA Tour have total control of setting up tournament courses? Let us know by joining the conversation below...

PGA Tour needs 'complete control' of course setup

Billy Horschel posted on social media that the PGA National owners and not the PGA Tour have decided on the overseeding, something he hopes will change in future.

"One thing going forward that we need to do is make sure we have complete control of the setup of all Tour courses," Horschel wrote.

He's not a massive fan of the overseeding as a Florida native - as it takes away the advantage he has of experience chipping on Bermuda.

"I really wish we would just play this as straight Bermuda," Horschel said at last year's event. "From tee to green, everything Bermuda.

"I know it doesn't look pretty on TV and that's one of the reasons why it's overseeded.

"It's just a little disappointing because its such a great test of golf. If you had Bermuda rough and Bermuda fairways and if you missed the green you had to chip it off Bermuda instead of overseeded rye, it makes it a little bit tougher."

Shane Lowry can testify to that, as he admits struggling to chip on straight Bermuda when he first started playing at PGA National.

"When I played the old Honda Classic as it was back when I started playing here, I couldn't figure out how to chip around these greens. I wish it was overseeded back then," said Lowry.

Lowry loves golf in Florida, where he now resides, but feels PGA National would be better without the overseeding and playing harder as it has done in previous years.

"It's probably going to play easier than that, which I don't like," added Lowry. "I'd prefer to see it - look, I'm a member of a few courses down here, and all Bermuda, and the golf courses this time of year are incredible. The Bermuda golf courses down here are unbelievable.

"I feel like it's going to look great on TV. It's going to be lovely and green. It's going to be amazing. But I probably would like to see a bit more of the old traditional setup. It is what it is this week, and you just have to deal with the cards you're given."

'It's not a cakewalk' at PGA National

As always there are differing opinions with golf course setups, and Ryan Gerard, who is the highest ranked player in the field this week, says PGA National will at least be tougher than last year.

"There's been a lot of cold weather here recently, so all the Bermuda is a little dormant, and the greens are really running probably faster and significantly firmer than they've been in the last few years," said Gerard. "That ryegrass that's overseeded has really taken hold.

"It's firm throughout, especially in the rough, but it's juicy. It's not a cakewalk. You're not going to be able to just hit it in there and hack it out.

"Most of the time you're going to have to hit good shots, and if you're hitting a shot from that thick stuff into the green, you have to be very precise because there's an opportunity for it to just start bounding over the back of the green."

In general, most players seemingly agree with Joel Dahmen's thoughts from last year, who simply said: "I miss the old PGA National."

The Cognizant Classic tees off in the Palm Beaches, with Brooks Koepka headlining the field alongside last year’s champion Joe Highsmith, Ryder Cup clincher Shane Lowry and Ryan Gerard, the top-ranked player to tee it up this week.

Koepka’s form since returning from the LIV Golf League has dominated discourse this year. The former Smash GC captain was the first to win five individual titles at LIV, before being overtaken by Joaquin Niemann, and was the first active LIV Golfer to win a Major Championship at the 2023 PGA Championship.

However, since his return to the PGA Tour, his success has not yet travelled with him. Now ranking 263rd in the world, Koepka has finished T56 at the Farmers Insurance Open, and then failed to make the cut at the WM Phoenix Open - an event he has won twice previously.

Koepka returned to the PGA Tour via the Returning Member Program, which stipulated he must forfeit player equity for five years, accept ineligibility for FedEx Cup bonuses, and agree to a $5m donation to charity. In his pre-tournament press conference, he discussed fond memories of his hometown event, changes to PGA National, and pondered over his golfing legacy among other things.

He was also asked how he decided on the 11 charities he donated to, which were revealed earlier this week - with $1m going to Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation, the primary charitable recipient of the Cognizant Classic.

“Me and the PGA Tour got together. All those charities are charities that I've been involved with for years, either participated in or have gone and helped around or donated to before, and I just feel like it was a good opportunity to donate to something where I know the money is actually going to,” he explained.

This week, the five-time Major champion returns to make his eighth appearance at the event at what can be considered a ‘home course’ for him. He first played it in 2014 and only missed one year prior to joining LIV, having also attended the event as a child.

“Growing up here, I came every year. I remember carrying the sign. From probably when I was nine, ten years old until probably maybe a junior, senior in high school, I remember carrying the sign,” he said.

“It's always good memories... It was always a lot of fun getting up close to the guys, seeing everything, and then obviously being able to play in it is special.

“My whole family and friends get to come out and see, and they're not able to all the time. It's a nice event. It's definitely weird staying at home. You just get so accustomed to living out of a suitcase or hotel or whatever. But it's enjoyable. It's nice to come back”.

Koepka also examined the changes made to what used to be one of the most difficult layouts on the Tour, and pointed to where he thinks he can take advantage over the week. PGA National's Champion Course has traditionally been one of the circuit's most demanding tests but witnessed a 59 last year when Jake Knapp shot 12-under-par in the opening round.

“The course has changed so much, I think, from when I last played it, being overseeded,” he stated.

"I can think hole 10 is back to a par-5. Six, the two bunkers on the right are taken out."

“Chipping around the greens has gotten a lot easier. The rough is down a little bit. It was so difficult because if you got in the rough here, you had to judge whether it was going to be a 30-yard flier or just come out 30 percent of its normal distance.

"It was just a pure guess. So it's a little more consistent now. You can kind of judge that better.

“I think you look at 10 being a par-4, chipping around these greens. On the back of 4, 11, they were always very dicey. If you missed those greens, you knew you were pretty much making bogey.

"Now with it being a little bit more consistent, I think you've got a reasonable chance of holing a chip or even getting it up-and-down.”

Koepka is currently ranked 6th around the greens on Tour, so perhaps he can use these changes to his advantage and reach the low scores achieved by the likes of Knapp, Jacob Bridgeman and winner Joe Highsmith last year.

Koepka’s kryptonite so far in 2026 has been his putting, something he has aimed to nullify by switching to the widely favoured TaylorMade Spider Tour X mallet.

“Everything is starting to get better, which it should,” he said.

“I probably hit 300 putts with it before I actually played. But having two weeks of being able to get work done and make some adjustments, it should be a lot better.”

Fans will be eager to see whether Koepka’s putting can now back up his so far solid iron play. Though it is still early in the season, reporters were keen to quiz the Floridian on his legacy going forward…

“I feel like that's a very deep question. I don't know what I want my legacy to be. I kind of don't think about it. I just try to be the best person, best golfer I can be, and then wherever things settle up, they settle up,” he pondered.

“I just don't want to look back at the end of my career and say, man, I really could have put more effort in and just give everything I've got, 100 percent effort, and trying to win as many tournaments as be as dedicated as I can to the game.”

Koepka will begin his week from the first tee at 12:23pm (ET) on Thursday and then 7:33am (ET) on Friday from the tenth.

The PGA Tour has announced where a large share of Brooks Koepka's $5 million charitable contribution is headed following his return from the LIV Golf League.

As part of the terms listed in the Returning Member Program - which Koepka agreed to in January - the five-time Major winner vowed to make a significant donation to good causes.

While some time was taken to work out where that money should go, it has now been decided and the PGA Tour have confirmed a list of 11 charities who will be on the receiving end.

Firstly, $1.5 million will be sent to a number of charities across a variety of different specialisms - from healthcare groups which look after sick or injured children to volunteers and researchers throughout Florida and the rest of the United States.

The full list includes: ALS Bridge Foundation, Baby Quest Foundation, Best Buddies, Hannah’s Home of South Florida, Pageant of Hope, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Foundation, Quantum House, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, The Thomas Healy Hambric Foundation – Beyond the Spectrum and UnLIMBited Foundation.

Per a statement from the PGA Tour, "the recipients were determined based upon a process established jointly between the PGA Tour and Koepka."

The biggest single pot of money is heading to the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation, though, with $1 million being donated to the primary charitable recipient of Koepka’s hometown event, the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches.

The remaining $2.5 million worth of donation money remains undecided at this stage, but the PGA Tour has said it will be "equally distributed to approved beneficiaries selected by eligible [tour] members, such as their foundations or other charities they support.

All eligible PGA Tour members will have the opportunity to select a beneficiary of their choice.

Once that process is finalized and specified charities are given the green light by the circuit's officials, the PGA Tour says it will provide a further update on the destination of Koepka's donation "as soon as possible."

BROOKS KOEPKA $5M DONATION CHARITIES

• Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation ($1 million)
• ALS Bridge Foundation ($150,000)
• Baby Quest Foundation ($150,000)
• Best Buddies ($150,000)
• Hannah’s Home of South Florida ($150,000)
• Pageant of Hope ($150,000)
• Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Foundation ($150,000)
• Quantum House ($150,000)
• St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital ($150,000)
• The Thomas Healy Hambric Foundation – Beyond the Spectrum ($150,000)
• UnLIMBited Foundation ($150,000)

Brooks Koepka's PGA Tour return is set to be one of the big stories to follow in 2026.

In January, Koepka was reinstated to the circuit via the Returning Member Program, where he agreed to a $5m charitable donation, forfeiture of player equity for five years, and accepted ineligibility for FedEx Cup bonuses in 2026.

Now, with this bureaucratic blather in the rear view mirror, his golf should now be at the forefront of conversation.

Koepka was undeniably successful in the LIV Golf League. A pioneer in the sense that he was the first man to capture five victories on the Saudi-backed tour, and his PGA Championship victory in 2023 made him the first active LIV player to win a Major.

However, in 2025 he suffered a lapse in form, with only two top-ten finishes to end up 31st out of 54 overall. So can he translate his early LIV success back to the tour he lucratively left behind?

Koepka departed for LIV when he was ranked 19th in the Official World Golf Ranking. Today, he sits at 263rd.

He made his return at the Farmers Insurance Open at the end of January, where he scraped through to the weekend and ultimately finished T56.

Then at the start of February he took on the WM Phoenix Open, an event he has won twice previously and one that he traditionally enjoys playing in.

“I think this is always a comfortable event for me,” he said.

“The golf course suits my eye. Off the tee, it really does. And then everything about this place, it's always in great shape. It's a fun tournament to play… I enjoy the chaos. It’s fun.”

Unfortunately for Koepka, the fun only lasted two days as he failed to make the cut, finishing at two-over after his 36 holes.

As for his comfort off the tee, so far in his return to the PGA Tour his driving accuracy is ranked 153rd.

This supports his comment after the opening round of the Farmers, where he stated, “I felt like I was in the rough all day.”

The tee may be where, on paper, Koepka’s conundrums start, but certainly not where they end. On his return to Torrey Pines, he ranked second-to-last in strokes gained putting, squandering 6.19 shots to the field over the tournament.

So far this season, he is 171st on Tour for strokes gained on the greens (losing an average of 2.116 strokes) alongside ranking 168th for putts per round (average of 30.83).

After round three at Torrey, Koepka spoke of the challenges he faced on the greens.

“I think putting is probably last in the field, but never really putted well here. I don't know the answer to it right now. I'll probably try to figure that out when I'm done with you guys,” he quipped.

“Putting, I've never felt comfortable on poa. You just miss a few and you've got zero confidence. I don't know, today I felt every three-, four-footer was slightly downhill and I felt like it kind of went a little bit of both ways.

"I tried to firm 'em all and take the break out to still be aggressive like I normally am, but I wasn't even hitting the hole.”

At Phoenix, Koepka hoped to change his fortunes by switching from his historically trusted Scotty Cameron Newport 2 blade, to a TaylorMade Spider Tour X mallet.

Five of the top ten players in the world use a variation of the Spider, including World No.1 Scottie Scheffler.

“This Spider putter is really easy for me to line up… I don't have to use the line on the ball. I line the putter up really well, and I line up in the middle of the face, and pretty much as simple as that,” Scheffler explained before his victory at The Players in 2024.

However, the switch only brought minor improvements for Koepka and his problems persisted, ranking last in putting after the first round at TPC Scottsdale.

Though the image painted so far looks bleak, there are flourishes of the five-time Major champion’s talent.

In terms of approach play, he is ranked 12th in proximity to the hole, showing his ball striking and iron play remains solid.

Moreover, his strokes gained on approach shots places him 22nd on the Tour and he is currently ranked 6th around the greens.

Next up for Koepka is the Cognizant Classic in his home state of Florida, to kickstart the Florida Swing.

As mentioned he has managed to gain strokes around the greens and via solid ball-striking, he just needs to stop returning them on the dance floor.

With only two events down for the former LIV man, it is perhaps too early to assess whether he is primed for a good season, but what is certain is that the Florida native will be eager for victory to earn entry into upcoming Signature Events.

So, can the home crowd fuel him to victory in a field that is composed of emerging talents and veteran warriors? If he can start rolling the putts in, he just might.

Former LIV golfer Brooks Koepka has added another PGA Tour event to his 2026 schedule, committing to the Texas Children's Houston Open.

The event - which is hosted by Houston's Memorial Park Golf Course - is due to take place between March 26-29, two weeks prior to The Masters, and will also see defending champion Min Woo Lee in attendance following his maiden PGA Tour success in 2025.

Joining Koepka and Lee is another group of talented PGA Tour stars which includes Gary Woodland, Si Woo Kim, Rickie Fowler, Sungjae Im, Chris Gotterup and Will Zalatoris.

Scottie Scheffler has been a regular at the Texas Children's Houston Open of late, finishing T2nd in three of four successive starts to date, but he has not yet been confirmed.

Whoever lines up in Houston will provide Koepka with particularly stiff opposition as he prepares for a slightly more thorough run into The Masters than in previous years with LIV.

In 2023, 2024 and 2025, Koepka played five competitive tournaments before heading to Augusta whereas this will be the first season since 2022 - where the Florida-born pro teed it up eight times - that he appears in six or more.

Koepka officially returned from the LIV Golf League in January and competed in his first PGA Tour event since 2022 at the Farmers Insurance Open.

The five-time Major winner narrowly made the cut at Torrey Pines after speaking of his anxiety over the reception he would receive from fans, but Koepka did not perform as hoped in his subsequent PGA Tour appearance - missing the cut at the WM Phoenix Open following another poor putting display.

His third start of 2026 is slated to be at the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches at the end of February as the PGA Tour begins its Florida swing.

Beyond that, Koepka will hope to improve on his best of T11th at The Players Championship before moving onto the Valspar Championship and then the Houston Open where he has twice missed the cut and finished T5th in his only other appearance.

Between the Houston Open and The Masters is the Valero Texas Open if Koepka wanted a further tune-up before Augusta, but the 35-year-old has historically preferred to take the week before the opening Major off if possible.

Per the terms of his reinstatement, the American has to play in at least 15 'cosponsored and approved' tour events in 2026.

However, he has been prevented from receiving any sponsor's invites into any of the eight Signature Events and can only appear if he qualifies off his own back.

His limited number of routes into Signature Events include qualifying as part of the Aon Swing 5 or the Aon Next 10, or by winning a PGA Tour tournament with a full compliment of FedEx Cup points (not an opposite-field event).

He could also pick up a place as part of the world's top-30, yet the former World No.1 is currently outside of the top-250.

Brooks Koepka's putting woes continue despite a major gear change this week, which saw the five-time Major winner move to a TaylorMade Spider X model.

The former World No.1 has traditionally been a blade putter user, having won all five of his Majors with a Scotty Cameron Newport 2. He also briefly used a Scotty Cameron T-5.5 mallet in 2024 but had his usual Newport 2 in the bag for his PGA Tour return, although it only lasted one week.

To start the WM Phoenix Open, the American made the change to the Spider X, with an L-neck just like World No.1 Scottie Scheffler.

It comes after he lost over seven strokes on the field during last week's Farmers Insurance Open to rank dead-last of the 74 players who made the cut.

He gained strokes in every other department, so it was clear something was not up to standard on the greens.

He has been spending hours on his putting technique over the course of the last week.

"Just really never felt comfortable over the ball. You've got to have everything squared up to the target," he said prior to the WM Phoenix Open.

"Just working on things like that. Real simple stuff, setup. Shoulders were open. My feet are always a little bit open but just trying to minimize the lines crossing so much.

"And yeah, just tried to keep everything more consistent, the face, the path, everything."

One way he has tried to hole more putts is by changing the model, and it's a surprising one considering he has never previously used a TaylorMade flat stick in competition.

It did not work out in round one at TPC Scottsdale, though, where he shot a four-over-par 75 to sit T116th.

Koepka lost over 3.6 strokes on the greens to rank 122nd out of 123 players, making just 29 feet of putts during his round and nothing outside of five-feet.

He will be battling to make the cut on Friday, which will be crucial to his hopes of making the upcoming Signature Events. Due to the Returning Member Program, he is not allowed any sponsor's invites into the big $20m tournaments so must qualify for them by his own right.

That means winning a tournament, reaching the world's top 30 or finishing inside the top 5 of the Aon Swing 5 or the Aon Next 10 - which are both calculated on FedEx Cup points.

Koepka is a two-time WM Phoenix Open winner so he has played plenty of good golf at TPC Scottsdale in the past, and he'll be hoping to roll some putts in during round two to keep his hopes alive of getting a weekend tee time.

There's been plenty in the golfing news recently and two big storylines at Torrey Pines helped the Farmers Insurance Open draw in a bumper TV audience.

Golf Channel is reporting its broadcast of Justin Rose's wire-to-wire victory saw an increase in viewers of 102% from last year's Farmers Insurance Open.

Brooks Koepka making his PGA Tour return after leaving LIV Golf will have no doubt added to the surge in ratings - with every round seeing at least a 75% increase on last year to make it the most watched Farmers Insurance Open since 2020, Tiger Woods' last appearance.

Overall, Golf Channel averaged 542,000 viewers across the four tournament days, according to the Sports Business Journal, with Thursday's live action pulling in 362,000 on average, up 87% from last year, and Friday doing even better with 455,000 constituting an increase of 115% from 2025.

And it's a bit of a trend for Golf Channel which says that the last two PGA Tour events it has broadcast, the Farmers and the American Express, doubled last year's ratings.

It was a strong showing across the board at Torrey Pines, with CBS averaging 2.36 million viewer over the weekend, representing a 63% increase on last year, while an average of 2.9m watched Rose complete his dominant success on Sunday, up from 1.7m for last year's final round.

And more positive news came from ESPN for the PGA Tour Live simulcast on the opening two days ahead of Golf Channel's coverage.

Thursday averaged 381,000 viewers and Friday's second round brought in just over 400,000 for a pretty healthy couple of days.

They're solid numbers all round for the PGA Tour, which no doubt reflect the two big stories that grabbed the public attention - firstly Koepka making a surprisingly swift return from LIV Golf.

Koepka's battle to make the cut will have kept golf fans watching on, while 45-year-old Rose's brilliance also seemed to capture the imagination.

Despite his advancing years the Englishman led the rest of his PGA Tour rivals a merry dance and almost lapped the field on his way to a record winning score at Torrey Pines.

The PGA Tour now moves on to TPC Scottsdale and the chaos that is the WM Phoenix Open, which it will hope can attract even more viewers tuning in to see all the madness unfold.

Brooks Koepka makes his second appearance of his PGA Tour return following his LIV Golf exit this week at the WM Phoenix Open.

The five-time Major champion, who finished T56th at Torrey Pines last time out, is a two-time winner of the rowdy TPC Scottsdale tournament, and he is once again ensuring extra players are added to the field via the Returning Member Program.

The new PGA Tour initiative allowed for an immediate return for Koepka but not at the expense of other players, so all fields he is in this year will be increased to ensure every tee time for the opening two rounds is played in three-balls.

It meant Lanto Griffin and Jackson Suber were added to last week's Farmers Insurance Open field, which resulted in a missed cut for Griffin and a T70 finish for Suber, earning him a total of 2.85 FedEx Cup points and just under $20,000.

The players to benefit this week are Pontus Nyholm and AJ Ewart, the PGA Tour has confirmed.

Nyholm earned his 2026 status via the Korn Ferry Tour and has missed three consecutive cuts so far this year, while Ewart came through Q-School in December and has fared slightly better with two top-50s and one missed cut.

Both will be hoping for stronger results in their fourth starts of the new season.

Tiger Woods was influential in Koepka's return and told media last month "one of the main concerns" when writing the policy was to ensure no members lost their spot from the former World No.1's return, also stating "that was never going to be the case."

"The alternate list, I think they're going to be impacted getting in one or two more events, which is a positive thing," Woods said.

Koepka again plays in a star trio this week, with the Floridian paired alongside Xander Schauffele and Cameron Young in the WM Phoenix Open tee times.

He was the ultimate alpha male on the PGA Tour but Brooks Koepka showed a new, softer side to him as he returned to action at the Farmers Insurance Open.

When Koepka swaggered his way to five Majors with that rock-solid winning mentality, nerves never looked an issue and what other people thought of him was the last thing on his mind.

But after playing his first round back on the PGA Tour since his return from LIV Golf, Koepka displayed more emotion and vulnerability than we've ever seen from him during competition.

A rusty Koepka shot a one-over 73 at Torrey Pines but his golf was just part of the story, as it was his emotional post-round interviews that caught the eye - admitting to nerves, fearing the response of fans and fellow pros and detailing how he's fallen in love with the game again.

Once knocking out Major wins like a superior golfing robot, Koepka is human after all, with the main theme for all the nerves and emotions about his return being: "Just because I care."

Fatherhood may be playing a part in this new Koepka, and he admitted his son had helped him fall back in love with golf.

"I think I've fallen back in love with the game," said Koepka after his round. "And honestly, watching my son play a little bit and wanting to be able to see him watch me, or I guess want him to watch me play well and realize how much this game's given me, how fun it is and how cool it is to just be out here.

"It wasn't that you fall out of it, but I think you can fall deeper in love with it. I mean, I haven't played competitively for I think 14 weeks, so it's a lot of time off, a lot of time to think, a lot of time to reflect.

"If you do that for a while sitting on the couch, you can go pretty deep on what you feel. I'm just excited."

With some players unhappy with how quickly Koepka has been allowed to return, he was braced for a mixed reaction from both the pros and fans.

"I wasn't sure, which is kind of weird being uneasy, or you don't really know," Koepka admitted.

"It was a good group with Max (Homa) and Ludvig (Aberg), I enjoyed that. The whole day was great.

"I just cared about my perception, what people thought or what the fans thought. It's easy when you're around the players and they come and talk to you or you talk to them, or caddies or people around here, but everybody else, I wasn't sure."

Koepka 'just wanted a warm reception'

Koepka says he missed playing with the PGA Tour players, and admitted the speed of his return has "kind of blown my mind" adding "I'm just grateful to be out here and have a chance to compete with these guys."

He was so keen to return that Koepka said "if there's a penalty to be paid to get out here and get back, I was going to do whatever the Tour needed me to do. It was very simple" as he paid a hefty fine to come back.

Koepka had always performed better and raised his game more in the Majors than regular PGA Tour events, but there's no doubting now how happy he is to be back.

The snarling, hard-nosed competitor we saw has given way to a smiling, more open Koepka, at least in his first tournament back - with words we're just not used to hearing from him during competition.

"I just care," he reiterated. "I care about what everybody's thinking out here, what everybody's doing, and just trying to be as good of a person and good of a player as I can be.

"Just wanted a warm reception. Just like everybody else, you walk into a room nobody wants to feel exiled, they just want to be loved. I mean, that's human nature I think.

"I'm the only one in the entire world that's going through this situation so it's very difficult to explain. But I'm enjoying it, I really am."

Harris English was surprised at how quickly Patrick Reed joined Brooks Koepka in leaving LIV Golf, but feels it could be a growing trend.

English says "the dominoes are starting to fall" as he believes players out on LIV Golf "are not that happy out there and the grass is not greener on the other side."

There had been rumblings before Koepka officially left LIV Golf, but Reed had seemingly been set for a new deal before he too revealed he wanted to return to the PGA Tour.

And with now the likes of Pat Perez, Kevin Na and Hudson Swafford reportedly looking to return to the PGA Tour, English believes it's the start of a trend.

"I just saw the Patrick news when I was working out in the trailer this morning, I saw it pop up," English said ahead of the Farmers Insurance Open. "I didn’t do Twitter or anything in the morning.

"I kind of knew the Brooks thing was coming by some of his comments. I didn’t know it was going to happen this quickly.

"But as you’re seeing, kind of the dominoes are starting to fall of maybe those guys on the LIV Tour are not that happy out there and the grass is not greener on the other side."

Koepka cited being closer to his family as a big reason for the switch, as did Reed when annoucing his decision after failing to agree a new contract with LIV Golf.

English believes that players are, and will be, returning to a "stronger" PGA Tour for increased competition - as he believes it's the biggest tour to be playing on.

"They’re seeing the PGA Tour getting stronger and having more success, and kind of seeing that money’s not the end all, be all," English added "Like that doesn’t fulfill them. It doesn’t fulfill me.

"They’re still competitors, they’re competitive people and they love playing in the biggest events against the best players in the world. For me, that’s out here on the PGA Tour and I think they’re starting to realize that, that that’s what fulfills them."

Returning players will find a different look to the PGA Tour in future, with new boss Brian Rolapp seemingly moving towards a shorter schedule with more meaning on each event.

It's a switch English himself broke news of with his comments on a post-Super Bowl season start and fewer main events on the calendar.

Although that does seem to be the case, English says he doesn't know the full details despite recently returning to the Player Advisory Council.

"I was pretty shocked how that news broke because, I mean, I was coming at it like what I thought the Tour was going to go towards, and they're still in the process of that," English said of hitting the headlines with his thoughts on a new schedule.

"I don't really know any more details of when it's going to happen, what's going to happen. I just got on the Player Advisory Council for this year. I hadn't been on it in 12 or 13 years, so it's nice to kind of be back in the room and hearing some stuff going on.

"I've got some friends that are on the board, but I know they're working really hard. They're looking at it from all angles of how can we make this tour better, how do we evolve, how do we make it better for the players, how do we make it better for the fans, the media deals. I mean, there's so many different things they're looking at."

English will fight to keep Torrey Pines event

A shorter schedule, and lack of sponsor, could put this week's tournament at Torrey Pines in danger, something English will fight against.

"I would hate for it to go away. This is one of the cornerstone events on the PGA Tour," said the defending champion.

"I'll do anything as a PGA TOUR member, a past champion to help find a sponsor to help keep this tournament here at Torrey Pines because you have a lot of guys that feel the same way I do that love this place.

"Such an iconic place here at Torrey. It would be a shame for us to lose this event. I'll do anything in my power to help keep it here."

A five-time Major winner with 16 other victories to his name since turning pro in 2012, Brooks Koepka has enjoyed the kind of career most others could only dream of.

He's tasted success on five different tours, six if you add on the Majors, and travelled much of the world which has helped to make him an extremely high amount of money.

Having graduated from Florida State University, Koepka didn't take the well-trodden path that most college golfers do nowadays. Instead, he ventured into Europe and started his career on what is now the HotelPlanner Tour - the second tier of European golf.

And it went very well for him. Just months into his pro career, Koepka landed the Challenge de Catalunya title and a winner's check of 25,600 euros (just over $30,000).

By the end of 2013, the West Palm Beach-born pro had three more trophies in his cabinet and had earned his way onto the DP World Tour.

But before 2015 arrived, so inside his first 18 months as a pro, Koepka had collected around $700,000 in prize money.

Given Koepka's wins in Europe awarded him prize money in euros, it is impossible to accurately define the specific number of dollars he won, so all figures which include euros have been worked out using the current exchange rate.

The modern exchange rate is slightly lower than it was 10-15 years ago (by about 0.1), so Koepka has - in certain cases - won a little more than his annual total states.

A first win on the DP World Tour in 2014 - at the Turkish Airlines Open - banked the man who would go on to become World No.1 his first seven-figure check, and that arrived near the end of a year where Koepka finished T4th at the US Open while achieving a number of other high finishes on tour.

It was his top-five at the US Open which ultimately earned Koepka his maiden PGA Tour card, though, and from there the riches flowed freely.

Almost $4 million went Koepka's way in 2015 - helped by a cash prize of $1.134 million for winning the WM Phoenix Open early on - before a frustrating year without a victory followed in 2016.

It was not a poor year for Koepka, financially, however as three runner-up finishes and six more top-fives allowed him to exceed his previous total by over $500,000.

Koepka's maiden Major was sealed at the 2017 US Open and another strong season on the PGA Tour helped him scoop over $6 million for the first time. With the exception of 2020 (due to Covid) and 2025, his annual earnings have not dipped below that figure since.

2018 and 2019 were two of the most successful years of Koepka's pro career with three more Majors claimed in total as well as a victory at the 2018 CJ Cup and the 2019 WGC FedEx St Jude Invitational.

He picked up more than $23.5 million across that two-year period thanks to multiple wins, four runner-up finishes and five top-fives which included a T3rd at the Tour Championship.

Back then, Tour Championship prize money was not labelled as Official Money by the PGA Tour, so you will see his $3.5 million check in the bonus column of the table below.

Following a much quieter 2020, mainly due to the global Covid-19 pandemic, Koepka landed his second WM Phoenix Open title in 2021. The season overall was a strange one for the Florida-born pro, though, with five missed cuts in his opening nine starts but a win, two T2nd results and a T38th.

Koepka ended the year with almost $8.5 million and would have increased that figure if not for withdrawing from the Tour Championship after two rounds.

Speaking of strange years, 2022 was a particularly intriguing one for the former World No.1 as he earned just over $1 million on the PGA Tour before signing what was reported to be a nine-figure contract with LIV Golf following The Open.

That figure is not included in our workings, but the $6 million or so that he earned in total is. As is the $3 million he picked up, ironically, as part of the PGA Tour's Player Impact Program.

The most profitable year of Koepka's career arrived in 2023. Two LIV Golf wins and a fifth Major championship, plus a near-miss at The Masters and three top-fives on LIV, helped Koepka to a staggering $18.6 million in total.

Another two LIV triumphs helped him to over $12 million in 2024, although his record at the Majors began to tail off so there was not much help from elsewhere. That continued into 2025 where Koepka scooped more than $4 million from a disappointing LIV Golf campaign.

Koepka ultimately returned to the PGA Tour in 2026 and will be hopeful of adding a 10th PGA Tour win as soon as possible to further increase his impressive Official Money total of almost $50 million.

In total, we believe Brooks Koepka's career earnings to stand at roughly $96.16 million. However, it should be emphasized that current exchange rates are worse than they were when he won the euros, so his actual figure should be much closer to $100 million.

We have also not taken into account any endorsement deals or consolation payouts for missing the cut at Majors, adding further money to his pot.

Below is a complete breakdown of Brooks Koepka's on-course earnings, worked out and listed in calendar years as opposed to seasons.

BROOKS KOEPKA CAREER EARNINGS: YEAR BY YEAR

*total includes modern exchange-rate figures

Brooks Koepka is back on the PGA Tour for 2026 after leaving the LIV Golf League and has been required to abide by all of the terms in the Returning Member Program.

Financial penalties aside, two of the key factors in the deal Koepka signed to come back relate heavily to his schedule.

Per the Returning Member Program, not only must he compete in at least 15 PGA Tour events this season, he has also been prevented from receiving any sponsor's invites into any of the eight Signature Events. As a result, his likely schedule has been drastically changed - especially in the early months.

As a former World No.1 and 21-time pro winner, Koepka's potential game is as good as anyone on the planet.

And while that kind of quality would normally open up doors into the $20 million events, the 35-year-old will have to go a different way for the time being.

Due to needing to earn his way into those elevated tournaments - just like a large portion of his PGA Tour peers - Koepka admitted ahead of his first start this term that he would be playing a fair amount prior to The Masters and potentially a few more in between the Majors.

His limited number of routes into Signature Events include qualifying as part of the Aon Swing 5 or the Aon Next 10, or by winning a PGA Tour tournament with a full compliment of FedEx Cup points (not an opposite-field event).

Another method of qualifying for Signature Events is by reaching the world's top-30, but Koepka was ranked 255th before making his first appearance of the year at the Farmers Insurance Open and still has a long way to go to make that happen after a few starts.

At the Farmers Insurance Open in late January, Koepka revealed he would be teeing it up at the WM Phoenix Open in February - an event he has won twice in his career - as well as the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches during March.

Aside from that, the five-time Major winner shared he would try to play as much as possible in the lead-up to The Masters.

During February, Koepka confirmed he would be playing the Valspar Championship before later being confirmed as part of the Texas Children's Houston Open field as well, making it six PGA Tour starts prior to The Masters once The Players Championship is taken into account.

After Augusta National, the only weeks Koepka is guaranteed to turn up in 2026 at this stage are the remaining three Majors.

Below is Brooks Koepka's confirmed 2026 schedule so far and when each tournament is taking place. This will be updated throughout the year as Koepka's schedule becomes available.

BROOKS KOEPKA CONFIRMED 2026 SCHEDULE

Five-time Major winner Brooks Koepka has revealed he is "nervous" ahead of his PGA Tour return, partly because he's unsure how he will be received by fans out on the course.

Koepka is making his first PGA Tour start since four years with LIV Golf came to an end in December and has already met several players, caddies and officials who have largely been very kind and understanding of his situation, he shared.

But, with fans not arriving at Torrey Pines in numbers until the first round on Thursday, the 35-year-old admitted in his pre-tournament press conference that he's still not sure what the reaction will be and is eager to get the first round out of the way as soon as possible.

Koepka said: "Maybe I'm a little nervous about that as well just to see how, I guess, how the fans respond to it. I hope that they're excited. I hope that they're happy that I'm out here.

"You know, hopefully that goes, at least the conversations I've had with players that they're excited that I'm back and happy to see me play."

The Florida State University alumnus later went into a bit more detail on the reasons for and timeline of his LIV Golf exit.

The nine-time PGA Tour winner reiterated that the primary factor behind his LIV Golf u-turn was based on the wants and needs of his family.

Koepka's family endured a tough time last year, and the American is keen to spend a lot more time with them as they can travel to plenty more tournaments with him.

He said: "I'm not going to get into too much detail about the family issues that we've had, but yeah, I believe it was September, right around the Ryder Cup week, we had to be in New York, we were up there for a little bit.

"Circumstances kind of changed in my family a little bit. Then that's when I guess things started to change and evolve and just started to have those conversations of what's best for my family. So we took it from there.

"Then me and LIV, we left that agreement, everybody was happy with it. They understood the situation that I was in.

"Just excited to be out here. I think [December] 23rd I was released and then called Tiger right away, then that process got the ball rolling."

And what about his aims for the coming season?

Koepka said: "Yeah, I think obviously winning, I think that would be nice. Yeah, kind of touched on that question earlier, I've got to play well. You play good golf, everything takes care of itself.

"I'd like to try to get in those Signature Events and play well, but I understand I've got to earn that and I'm looking forward to that challenge.

"It would be something where it will be a little different spot and I've got to work my tail off and I'm excited about that. We'll see what happens, but I would love to come out and get a win."

Although winning might be a tall ask in his first start anywhere since the DP World Tour's Alfred Dunhill Links Championship last October, the Florida-born pro shared his excitement for "the grind" of earning his way into Signature Events.

He said: "That's the fun part, I love the grind, I've always enjoyed it. I guess it's a fresh start for me, which is cool. It's just another chapter I guess in my book. I'm excited for that.

"I feel like my game's in pretty good shape and I want to see where it's at. Obviously this week is a little bit different. But yeah, would just like to get this week over and just feel like I can start playing golf again. I'm super excited."

Updates From...

WELCOME

Hello and welcome to Golf Monthly's coverage of Brooks Koepka's first PGA Tour press conference after leaving LIV Golf.

The 35-year-old is due to arrive at 9am local time (12pm ET) where he will be quizzed on a number of subjects from his decision to leave LIV as well as the current state of his game.

I will bring you all of the key updates from Koepka's press conference, so sit tight and enjoy. As always, thank you for tuning in.

HOW DID WE GET HERE?

Last October, Brooks Koepka had not long finished his fourth season with LIV Golf and had a year remaining on his contract. However, over the following weeks and months, noises began to arise about the 35-year-old not enjoying his time with the PIF-backed circuit.

Then, on December 23, it was announced that Koepka would be leaving the LIV Golf League due to wanting to spend more time at home in Florida with his family.

Yet, a matter of days later and Koepka was being unveiled as a PGA Tour player once more via the circuit's Returning Member Program.

Earlier this month, it was then confirmed the five-time Major winner would make his first start of the season at this week's Farmers Insurance Open.

MOMENTS AWAY

Most of the media are ready and waiting for Koepka's arrival. He will be sat behind this very microphone very shortly...

KOEPKA HAS ARRIVED

Here we go then. Brooks Koepka has sat down in front of the media wearing a black Nike hoodie and white cap, so let's get going!

RESUMING OR DIFFERENT?

I think it feels a bit different - I'm definitely a bit more nervous. Super grateful to be back.

Lot of new faces I don't know, but excited to meet them.

WHAT DID YOU MISS MOST?

The ability to have my family out with me here, because they didn't travel too much while I was on LIV.

My wife and son are coming this week and next, so that will be super exciting. I've grown up a lot over the past few months, so being close to them is really important.

MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS IN MAKING THE DECISION?

It was about my family. Had lot of conversations with my wife and my team, but this was what was best for me and my family. We all thought this was best.

WOULD YOU DO ANYTHING DIFFERENT?

I have no regrets. I'm excited for everything I do. I'm super grateful for everyone who was able to get me out here.

THE CHALLENGE TORREY PINES PRESENTS?

I used to come out here quite a bit as I had a trainer out here. It's a tough course, really fun to play, but it will tell me where my game's at.

TIMELINE FOR LEAVING LIV

It was around September that circumstances changed in my family a little bit. It was at that point where those conversations started to take place.

LIV and I left happy. I was released on December 23 and called Tiger, so we kept the ball rolling from there.

HOW TOUGH WILL THIS YEAR BE?

I love the grind. I think my game is in good shape but we'll see this week. I'm excited to get this week over with and get back to just playing golf.

One of Koepka's goals is to win, but he's looking forward to the challenge of earning his way into Signature Events. Says he's excited about the prospect.

ANY NEW GEAR IN THE BAG?

I haven't really tinkered with anything. The M2 is staying in the bag, Koepka confirms. No new gear otherwise.

DID OFF-COURSE STRUGGLES CONTRIBUTE TO ON-COURSE STRUGGLES?

Not really. It is easier to play golf with a clear mind, just look at Scottie. But not really.

WERE THERE ANY FINANCIAL PENALTIES FOR LEAVING LIV EARLY?

I'd prefer to keep all that internal. Yasir and Scott were great.

ON RESPONSE FROM FELLOW PROS

Koepka said he was touched by the number of guys - on both sides - who reached out to him after he made the decision to return. Maybe 15 players and loads more caddies/officials/random fans came up to say more than hello.

Koepka is doing a fantastic job of flat-batting questions regarding the political landscape between the PGA Tour and LIV. "I'm two days back in" is the common response.

WHAT WAS CHAT WITH TIGER LIKE?

I've always had a good relationship with Tiger, and once I had the opportunity to get reinstated on the PGA Tour I thought he would be the best guy to call.

Jay Monahan was going to be the next call, but Tiger is someone I've relied on for questions and answers in the past so I felt he was the most comfortable conversation for me.

HOW HAVE YOU GROWN?

Being a dad has made me grow as a person. I'm trying to set him the best example and do what's best for my family.

WHERE WILL $5M DONATION GO?

Koepka has not yet decided on where the $5 million charitable donation will go (factor in him coming back). Still conversations to be had.

EXPECTATION ON FAN RECEPTION?

I'm a little nervous on that as well to see how the fans respond to me. I hope they're excited and happy that I'm out here. That goes along with conversations I've had with players.

WHAT WILL YOU MISS ABOUT LIV?

I'll miss the guys. We were one big travelling circus, basically, so I'll miss them. But there are guys out here I haven't seen in a while, so I'm sure it'll be fine.

EMOTIONS ABOUT PLAYING AGAINST TOP PGA TOUR PLAYERS AGAIN

Koepka says he is super excited to battle with a "dominant" Scottie Scheffler and play against guys like Rory McIlroy to see how he can get better. It's all about trying to keep getting a little better.

FUTURE SCHEDULE?

Koepka is playing next week and confirms he is playing Waste Management and the Cognizant Classic.

He confirms he will play The Players and "as much as possible before The Masters."

THAT'S ALL

Following a question about his warm-up, that will be all from Koepka today.

The key takeaways are that he's outlined a little bit more of his schedule and he's just excited to get this week out of the way so that he can focus on playing golf again. There was also a little bit more context added in terms of the timeline of his decision to leave LIV but said most people have been very understanding of the call.

Koepka can now focus on preparing for the Farmers Insurance Open and look forward to his tee time alongside Ludvig Aberg and Max Homa on Thursday!

REACTION

That was a very interesting media address from the five-time Major champion. Koepka cut a vulnerable figure who was open in revealing he was nervous for the press conference and even how the fans will receive him this week at Torrey Pines.

I would imagine he will get a hero’s reception wherever he walks. It is clear he has had some big family issues last year, which he did not want to go into, and it genuinely sounds like he left LIV Golf to remain at home in Florida or at least the US more often while LIV continues to go more global.

He seems excited to try and earn his way into the big Signature Events and how this new chapter is exactly that, and a fresh start.

In terms of his game, he says he thinks it’s in good shape and is hoping to win out on tour this year, while he revealed he will play as much as possible prior to The Masters, which leads me to think he’ll add the Valspar Championship and Texas Open to his schedule which is currently Farmers-WM Phoenix-Cognizant-Players Championship. There are three Florida events there, which is evidence he’ll be spending more time at home with the family.

KOEPKA ON WHY HE LEFT LIV GOLF:

When Brooks Koepka's immediate PGA Tour return was confirmed via the Returning Member Program, one key detail ensured that no current members would suffer or lose out.

The new scheme saw Koepka return instantly and face multiple sanctions, including not being allowed entry to the Player Equity Program for five years, no sponsor's invites to Signature Events and a $5m charitable donation.

Another aspect was that any tournament he would enter would suddenly have an odd number of players, with fields currently made to ensure players can tee it up in three-balls.

So to combat that, and make Koepka's return more palatable to the membership, fields he is playing in this year will be increased where necessary to ensure three-balls can play in every tee time.

At this week's Farmers Insurance Open, where the five-time Major winner makes his first PGA Tour start in almost four years, two additional players have been added to the field thanks to Koepka's addition.

They are Lanto Griffin and Jackson Suber, the PGA Tour confirmed in a field update.

"With Brooks Koepka added to the field via the Returning Member Program (145 players), the field was officially expanded to 147 players at noon PT Monday to round out threesomes," the tour said.

Griffin, winner of the 2019 Houston Open, finished 125th in the FedEx Cup Fall rankings while Suber ended 124th. Both men were set to miss the event at Torrey Pines this week, having been on the alternates list, so will surely be giving Brooks Koepka a friendly welcome back on the driving range.

PGA Tour board member Tiger Woods was influential in writing the Returning Member Program that ensured Koepka's swift return. He recently discussed it following a TGL match and said "one of the big concerns" was that the former World No.1 did not take any player's spot in a field.

"This plan was created for a very select few players that met the criteria. You know the names. As far as his integration, he has the right, I think, in our sport, with our meritocracy that we have on the PGA Tour, that he has the right to earn his way into Signature Events, and if he plays well enough, he has a chance to earn his way into the playoffs," Woods said of Koepka's return.

"But he's not going to get the bonus pool from that. But he has a chance to earn his way into those fields.

"Plus on top of that, he's not taking a spot away from any player. That was one of the main concerns and one of the big things that myself and the other player directors demanded, that that was never going to be the case.

"He's an additive, and then on top of that, to fill out the group, or if it happens to be in the summer where it's twosomes or if it happens to be threesomes, there's two more players that could get in.

"The alternate list, I think they're going to be impacted getting in one or two more events, which is a positive thing, and on top of that, we get a probably top-3-of-his-generation player back that went to another tour, played over there, and was adamant about coming back here and got out early to come back.

"That says a lot about the PGA Tour, where we're headed, what we have done, what we accomplished and the players who have stayed and who have supported the Tour.

"Having another world-class player that these guys are going to try and beat, that's what the fans demanded. That's what the fans wanted for our fan initiative program, and I think we've addressed that."

Koepka is playing in a featured group this week in San Diego, where he is paired with Ludvig Aberg and Max Homa.

Rory McIlroy has suggested the balance of power in men's professional golf is shifting even further towards the PGA Tour again as Brooks Koepka prepares to make his second debut on the historic US circuit after agreeing to several restrictive terms.

After moving in 2022, Koepka cut his time with LIV Golf short by a season towards the very end of 2025 and has wasted little time in continuing with his extremely successful career on the PGA Tour, opting to compete at this week's Farmers Insurance Open.

The five-time Major champion will tee off alongside Ludvig Aberg and Max Homa in the first two rounds as ESPN broadcasts three hours of live PGA Tour action for the first time in almost 20 years.

But in order for the aforementioned appearance to have even happened in the first place, Koepka had to agree to the terms of the PGA Tour's Returning Member Program.

Among the restrictions - which Koepka called "harsh" - includes the fact he is ineligible for any part of the the Player Equity Program until 2030, he is not allowed to earn any FedEx Cup bonus money and he has been required to make a $5 million charitable donation to a recipient of his and the PGA Tour's choice.

Speaking after Boston Common's 9-1 thrashing of The Bay in TGL on Monday night, McIlroy stated his fellow five-time Major winner would never have agreed to those terms if he wasn't absolutely committed to returning to "the highest level."

Asked what Koepka's return means to the PGA Tour, McIlroy said: “Yeah, I think it says more about Brooks than anything else.

"He obviously is a very competitive person and wants to compete at the highest level. I think he made the decision that he thought competing at the highest level meant coming back to the PGA Tour."

Although Koepka is the only player to have officially made his return from LIV, Patrick Reed has twice suggested he would be open to coming back over to the PGA Tour during the past week or so.

Ahead of the Dubai Desert Classic, the 2018 Masters champion admitted he would consider a return if offered the same terms as Koepka - terms which only apply to Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith currently.

Reed then shared he was technically still a free agent due to having yet to sign a new LIV Golf contract before going on to admit that if he didn't play LIV then he would compete on the DP World Tour and earn his PGA Tour status back by trying to finish in the Race To Dubai's leading 10 non-exempt pros.

Continuing on, McIlroy said he believes Reed - and potentially others - having their head turned shows where the PGA Tour stands compared to its PIF-backed rival.

McIlroy said: "You've seen others say this recently. Patrick Reed said it in Dubai last week.

"It seems like some of those guys are maybe starting to realise that they're not getting everything that they wanted out of going over there, and that's obviously a great thing for the PGA Tour.”

'Inside The Ropes' is the chance for Golf Monthly's tour experts to share their honest opinions on the biggest subjects in the game. This week, it's about the PGA Tour's Returning Member Program.

When Brooks Koepka announced he was leaving the LIV Golf League in mid-December, the PGA Tour's board sprung into action.

Koepka met with PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp to discuss his future plans and, a matter of days later, a brand new creation called the Returning Member Program had been conjured up which allowed the five-time Major winner to regain his PGA Tour status - only with a few key caveats.

It was widely received as an excellent piece of business by Rolapp and the PGA Tour because they had ultimately secured the services of one of the game's biggest talents while upsetting as few members as possible.

From the historic US circuit's point of view, the Returning Member Program also acted as a huge piece of bait for some of the most impressive fish in their biggest rival's lake.

Due to the parameters involved, only Koepka, Jon Rahm, Cameron Smith and Bryson DeChambeau currently qualify to retake their respective places on the PGA Tour through the RMP.

However, each has strongly indicated they will be staying put and DeChambeau in particular is more interested in hashing out a fresh contract with the PIF-backed league.

Although those three Major winners were happy to swim on past, another big catch appears to be very interested in latching onto the PGA Tour's hook - namely, one Patrick Reed.

Speaking to Golf Digest's Evin Priest and The Telegraph's James Corrigan, Reed was asked if - hypothetically - he would consider making a return to the PGA Tour if offered the same terms as Koepka.

Reed replied: "I mean, of course. If it were up to me, I'd play everywhere. I'm already playing on three tours, why not add one more?” he added with a laugh.

“I always enjoyed my time out there on the PGA Tour. Let's be honest, out there, it's the best tour in the world. Look at what they've done in golf … I could see myself playing there at some point again. But right now, you just never know; everything's so fluid.”

The question, therefore, has to be asked: "should the PGA Tour alter its Returning Member Program in a bid to lure more LIV golfers away?"

Let us know your thoughts in the comments box below. In the meantime, four of our tour experts have had their say.

Brian Rolapp and the PGA Tour came off very well last week with the Returning Member Program that saw Brooks Koepka make an immediate return. Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith all appear to have turned it down, and the case now seems to be closed as they were the only other three men to have been considered.

I do feel it could have been branched out a little further, though, as any former PGA Tour players making the move back would have strengthened the Tour and weakened its competitor.

Patrick Reed as a Major champion could have been considered, as could former PGA Tour winners like Joaquin Niemann, Sebastian Munoz, Carlos Ortiz, Abraham Ancer, Paul Casey and Marc Leishman.

Getting these players back immediately would have been a problem to solve, but Rolapp surely could have found a way as he proved with Koepka by applying sanctions and ensuring no current PGA Tour members lose out.

Whether any other former members would have said yes is doubtful, but even one or two extra players coming back would have been a big statement and added more storylines and intrigue to events they would play and contend in.

Either way, the Returning Member Program appears to have been a success and I am sure it will return once more next year when more big LIV names near the end of their contracts.

The plain and simple answer is no, the PGA Tour shouldn't tweak its Returning Member Program to try and poach LIV Golfers back. If they were to extend the year range, where would it stop?

If they were to go back to 2018 to allow the likes of then Masters winner Patrick Reed in, many will question why they don't jump back to 2010 to allow the then Open champion, Louis Oosthuizen, in?

Tweaking the year-limit would likely lead to the thought of what was the point in the bans for joining the circuit in the first place, as would changing the criteria to accommodate those with a certain number of PGA Tour tournament victories.

Kevin Na, for example, has five wins and nearly 20 years of experience on the PGA Tour circuit. Should he be given special treatment for his long-time service, even though he was one of the first to jump to LIV Golf? No.

To me, the range of 2022 is correct as that was when the first LIV Golf event was played. What's more, I feel the Program was only constructed to lure back the players from LIV Golf that will benefit the PGA Tour. Koepka, DeChambeau, Rahm and Smith are the League's biggest draws.

If they can lure them back with this one-time offer, the PGA Tour is in an even stronger position than it already was. Obviously a Patrick Reed might help draw more eyes to tournaments, but the rules shouldn't be tweaked to do so.

The PGA Tour's Returning Member Program isn't so much a cast-iron policy as a flexible way of securing returns for high-profile LIV players who have indicated they'd be keen to come back.

The PGA Tour's CEO, Brian Rolapp, said: "This is a one-time, defined window and does not set a precedent for future situations. Once the door closes, there is no promise that this path will be available again."

As far as I see it, the path will absolutely be open again as soon as either Jon Rahm or Bryson DeChambeau decide they want to come home (I'm not sure the tour is overly bothered about Cameron Smith), although I don't envisage much tweaking as the terms need to be similar to Koepka's.

The situation becomes trickier in relation to LIV's non-Major winners. I'm sure there are players on the Saudi-backed tour who Rolapp would love to have in his ranks, but optics are in play here.

The PGA Tour always presents itself as the world's most important and powerful circuit (and it is), so it doesn't want to look desperate by pursuing non-Major winners, or those who haven't won a big-four event in the last five years, from LIV.

However, do I think Rolapp would like Joaquin Niemann, Patrick Reed, Tyrrell Hatton, Dustin Johnson, Louis Oosthuizen and possibly a couple of others back? I think so. The trouble is, finding criteria that targets the desirable LIV players but excludes others is difficult.

Is it possible to come up with a policy that allows Hatton to return without opening the doors to, say, Jason Kokrak? The other issue is upsetting the PGA Tour membership. Everyone understands why it's desirable to have Koepka and Rahm back, for example, but others would likely be met with far more opposition.

My initial feeling was yes because I think that's what will end up happening anyway.

But, after some careful thought, I really don't think the PGA Tour should budge on what Brian Rolapp said when setting out the Returning Member Program. If it does, the tour could end up in a situation where too much rule-bending is done and the members lose faith with those at the top which consequently leads to heads rolling.

My other big concern is that if the PGA Tour ultimately operates an open door policy, it runs the risk of losing some big players to LIV because they know they'll just be able to come back after a few years having earned a whole heap of cash.

I think there are certain players the PGA Tour would love to come back, but that list is limited to 10 players at absolute most.

Yes, there are a number of great players in the LIV Golf League, but - equally - the PGA Tour has plenty more. Where the PGA Tour is missing out is with the big personalities. Those players who just attract interest no matter how they're doing. I don't think LIV has that many.

In my eyes, there are no more than 10 players currently in the LIV Golf League who most people would like to see back on the PGA Tour. Even then, I forgot about half of them at first, so are they really that necessary to the product?

Rolapp and co. must believe not only that what they have already is enough to prosper but also that it has all of the tools to replace those massive stars in time anyway. If it can beat LIV to the next crop of Rahms and DeChambeaus, then there's no need to tweak the Returning Member Program.

Two-time Major winner Martin Kaymer says it was clear that Brooks Koepka wasn't content during the final year of his time in the LIV Golf League and hopes the American feels happy and comfortable after moving back to the PGA Tour.

Koepka announced late in December that he would be departing LIV Golf, and just over a week later it was confirmed that his intention was to play on the PGA Tour once again.

Following a swift process by those based at TPC Sawgrass, the 35-year-old was indeed allowed to come back but there were a number of penalties Koepka had to accept if he was to regain his card.

Although he stated the punishments were "harsh", the Florida-born pro also accepted they were fair and signed on the dotted line to bring his four-year absence to an end.

Like Koepka, 2010 PGA Championship and 2014 US Open winner Kaymer had been with the PIF-backed circuit since its inception in 2022 and had grown to know the five-time Major champion well during that time.

Kaymer shared with Golf Monthly that it was obvious something wasn't right with the former Smash GC captain and the German was therefore not surprised to hear of Koepka's decision.

Kaymer said: "At the end of the day, who knows what the reasons were behind Brooks’ decision to leave, or was it LIV’s decision to let him go? I don’t know, there are so many rumors flying around.

"I don’t know whether it was something to do with where he played, was it the travel, whatever it was. But we certainly saw that rules can be changed overnight and so we go from there.

"But from a human point of view, I hope that he will feel comfortable where he is. I hope he’s happy because I could sense last year… you can see it in players, whether they are happy or not happy.

"You don’t know the reasons behind it, but he clearly wasn’t the happiest player out here. So, again, from a human point of view, I hope he finds a bit more happiness where he is now."

Speaking of looking for an upturn in mood, Kaymer is hopeful 2026 will see a marked improvement from his Cleeks squad after a largely disappointing campaign last time out.

Not helped by the struggles of Frederik Kjettrup - who failed to score a point all year and finished dead last of all those who played regularly - Cleeks ended the season 12th out of 13 teams, despite a win in the opening event by Adrian Meronk.

Kaymer said: "Last year was an extremely disappointing year, I would say. Obviously with Freddy in our team, we wished we could have helped him somehow to perform a little bit better.

"Not only for team reasons but also for him as an individual player because it’s never nice to see somebody struggling and if somebody wants something really bad and he can’t get it going, we would like to help and that didn’t happen last year, so it was extremely frustrating for all of us.

"But, at the same time, it was understandable why we didn’t perform the way we wanted. [Kjettrup] didn’t have his best year, I definitely had a lot of room for improvement and even Adrian, he won an event but I think he was not super satisfied with 2025 either."

But, after the young Dane having been relegated from the league and replaced by France's Victor Perez, the former World No.1 believes his refreshed roster - which also features the evergreen Richard Bland - is ready to use its experience as a catalyst for improved results.

Kaymer continued: "This year, we are hoping for a little bit more consistency and also having the chance to maybe even win a tournament.

"I know how great it felt back in Houston when we won the tournament, and we would like to put ourselves in contention more often now with Victor on the team.

"I think we’ve already created a good team spirit in the past 48 hours since we landed in Florida. It’s fun, it’s very positive and that’s something very important to carry over for the whole year as it will make us play better, I believe."

Almost certainly the biggest news in the game this week has been Brooks Koepka's immediate return to the PGA Tour.

For some people, it's been the best news of the past few days. For others, they're not so sure. Wyndham Clark is firmly in the latter camp.

The five-time Major winner's comeback was confirmed on Monday with several caveats that included an inability to collect any FedEx Cup bonus money or cash in on the PGA Tour's Player Equity Program and the requirement to make a $5 million charitable donation.

In addition, Koepka is also not able to receive a sponsor's exemption into any of the $20 million Signature Events, therefore effectively starting from near scratch in terms of status.

Speaking to the PGA Tour's Sirius XM Radio, 2023 US Open champion Clark admitted that while he was happy to see his former Ryder Cup teammate back on the historic US circuit, he also felt a little frustrated that Koepka was able to cash in with LIV and still come back to the leading men's pro golf tour.

Clark said: "Gosh, I'm so torn. I, personally, really like Brooks and I ultimately think it's really good for the PGA Tour [that he came back], but it's also a guy that had an opportunity to go to LIV... it's kind of frustrating that he's able to get the cake and also eat it.

"I don't know, I'm very torn because, at the end of the day, I want whatever's best for the PGA Tour. I think, if guys come back - especially top players like Brooks - it's only going to help the tour which is ultimately going to help me.

"But I don't know really how I feel. I wish maybe that there were a few more repercussions, but I'm glad the things they set in place are pretty decent.

"And I also like the hard deadline [for others to come back]. I just hope they stick with that and they don't waiver on that maybe in a year or two."

Speaking to the Associated Press recently, Koepka felt the penalties against him were "harsh" but acknowledged he deserved a tough level of punishment due to the number of people he hurt when leaving.

Later on, the Florida-born pro expressed his intention to "rebuild those relationships" that he damaged when heading for LIV and accepted it might not be as smooth a road back as he'd like.

Koepka said: “I’ve got a lot of work to do with some of the players. There’s definitely guys who are happy, and definitely guys who will be angry.

“The first week I’ll be a little bit nervous. There’s a lot going on than just golf. I’ll be glad to put the first week behind me - dealing with the media, dealing with the players, and then getting some of those tougher conversations. But I’m looking forward to it.

“Am I nervous? Yes. Am I excited? Yes. In a weird way, I want to have those conversations.

"There’s probably a mixed bag of, ‘We’re happy you’re back, welcome home’ to ‘You shouldn’t be here.’ I understand everybody’s point of view. I was going to be sitting out possibly a year, and I’m extremely thankful the tour gave me this opportunity.”

Clark was keen to reiterate that his issue was far from personal and that he doesn't blame anyone for making the choice Koepka did back in 2022.

In fact, Clark admitted he might have been tempted to join LIV if he knew the path Koepka has taken was an option.

Clark continued: “If you would have told me that I could have gone for a year and a half, make a boatload of money and then be able to come back and play on the PGA Tour, I think almost everyone would have done that.”

Tiger Woods says Brooks Koepka's PGA Tour return is a "win for everyone" and has given an update on his recovery from his latest back surgery.

The 15-time Major winner was in the SoFi Center for Jupiter Links' first TGL match of the year, which resulted in a heavy 8-3 defeat to New York GC.

Woods spoke to media following the match, where he gave an update on Brooks Koepka's immediate return to the PGA Tour following his departure from LIV Golf.

Koepka will make his first PGA Tour start in almost four years in two weeks' time at the Farmers Insurance Open, having been allowed to return straight away while facing a number of sanctions through the new Returning Member Program.

Woods, who is on the PGA Tour board, says the executives were working every day through the holidays to try and come up with a formal process, and he believes the scheme they've come up with has struck the perfect balance.

"Well, we received his letter on December 23rd that he wants to come back," Woods said on Koepka's return.

"He wrote to the commissioner and Brian [Rolapp, CEO]. We took that letter and then took it to both boards and tried to implement a plan that would be fair and adequate, that justifies Brooks' time away from our tour, the penalties served, the fines if necessary, what the integration would look like on our tour, and obviously the bonus payouts, yes or no.

"We had lots of subsequent meetings, worked through the holidays. There were no days off. We just worked through it day after day after day, and we came out with a plan that we unveiled.

"Yes, we're not going to satisfy every player. This plan was created for a very select few players that met the criteria. You know the names.

"As far as his integration, he has the right, I think, in our sport, with our meritocracy that we have on the PGA Tour, that he has the right to earn his way into Signature Events, and if he plays well enough, he has a chance to earn his way into the Playoffs.

"But he's not going to get the bonus pool from that. But he has a chance to earn his way into those fields.

"Plus on top of that, he's not taking a spot away from any player. That was one of the main concerns and one of the big things that myself and the other player directors demanded, that that was never going to be the case.

"He's an additive, and then on top of that, to fill out the group, or if it happens to be in the summer where it's twosomes or if it happens to be threesomes, there's two more players that could get in.

"The alternate list, I think they're going to be impacted getting in one or two more events, which is a positive thing, and on top of that, we get a probably top-three-of-his-generation player back that went to another tour, played over there, and was adamant about coming back here and got out early to come back.

"That says a lot about the PGA Tour, where we're headed, what we have done, what we accomplished and the players who have stayed and who have supported the Tour.

"Having another world-class player that these guys are going to try and beat, that's what the fans demanded. That's what the fans wanted for our fan initiative program, and I think we've addressed that.

Woods says the executives have been "rolling through" various scenarios for returning LIV players since they had a meeting at the White House in February. He accepts some might not be overly happy with the decision but says it's a win for "everyone" thanks to the Player Equity Program, which sees tour members own a stake of the business.

"Yes, there are opinions from both sides. We're not going to satisfy everyone," he said.

"We know that. But the whole idea is to make our tour better than what it was. With Brooks' addition to the Tour, it does. It makes it a better place to play.

"Now with players who have earned equity, and there are four more years of potential earning of equity for these players, the fact that they own the Tour, if Brooks plays, it puts more money in their pocket. It's a win for everyone."

Woods was also spotted hitting some shots in the TGL stadium prior to the match, having said last month he had only been cleared to hit chip shots and putts. He had his seventh back surgery in October and seems to be making good progress.

"Well, I'm moving up to short irons, so that's about it," he said of his fitness.

"I need a little bit more than that to be able to play here.

"At my speed right now, I could probably play the Stinger hole. Just kind of roll it off the tee.

"But no, I'm progressing, which is nice. I'm getting there and getting stronger.

"It's just one of those things where it just takes so much time for the bone to heal and the bone to set."

Brooks Koepka has made an immediate return to the PGA Tour after leaving LIV Golf last month thanks to the newly introduced Returning Member Program.

The scheme is open to Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith until February 2nd as Major or Players Championship winners between 2022-2025 who have spent two years away from the Tour.

The PGA Tour has usually given anyone who has teed it up in a LIV Golf event a 12-month suspension since their last start in the PIF-backed league but exceptions have been made for the big names due to new CEO Brian Rolapp's mission to deliver for fans.

Fans told the Tour in surveys that their number one wish was to see the best face the best, so having Koepka back so soon is a huge win for the PGA Tour, which can expect higher ratings and buzz initially before the potential of Koepka returning to the winner's circle at some point.

And while the five-time Major winner has managed to get out of his LIV contract and return straight away, he has had to pay some fairly hefty sanctions. But have they gone far enough?

What sanctions has Brooks Koepka faced to rejoin the PGA Tour?

The largest sanction imposed on Brooks Koepka via the new Returning Member Program is to block him from the PGA Tour Player Equity Program until 2031.

The program was created following SSG's $1.5bn investment in the Tour and has seen players take a share in the legacy US circuit. The PGA Tour estimates the returning former World No.1 is set to miss out on anywhere in the region of $50m-$85m.

He has also been made to donate $5m to charity and is not eligible for any FedEx Cup bonuses this season.

Koepka must play a minimum of 15 events and will be allowed to play in The Players Championship.

He will be allowed to play in the nine $20m Signature Events, but only if he qualifies for them off of his own back via the Aon Next 10, Aon Swing 5, winning a tournament or reaching the world's top 30. He will not be allowed any sponsor's invites into them.

All of these are heavy sanctions that will reduce his earning power vs his PGA Tour peers, and crucially he will not take any member's spot this year.

An extra player, or players if tee times don't match in twos or threes, will be added to fields he is in and he also won't take someone's spot if he makes the FedEx Cup Playoffs as the next player will be added in, too.

Are Brooks Koepka's sanctions strong enough?

The PGA Tour look to have got the sanctions spot on and they will be popular or at least acceptable by the majority of the membership, who have equity in the circuit so stand to gain by any growth Koepka creates from rejoining.

Some may feel Koepka has got off lightly and the Player Equity Program numbers quoted are unrealistic.

He is also back onto a PGA Tour that has significantly higher prize pools than the one he left in 2022, and he is forced to play 15 events which still means 15 chances to earn big money.

He could quite easily play his way into the $20m Signature Events, too, so is still on course to earn multi-millions this year.

Whether he has had to buy himself out of his reported $125m LIV Golf contract he signed back in 2022 is unknown, but he surely will have had to give some back, forfeit his final season earnings or pay some kind of exit fee considering it ran until the end of 2026.

I feel the sanctions imposed are strong enough, and believe this is a real win for Brian Rolapp. He came in promising 'aggressive' changes to make the PGA Tour better for fans and his first key move has been one of a strong leader. It's hard to believe this new program could have been created under Jay Monahan's leadership.

Do you agree? Or do you think Koepka should be suspended for 12-months or faced even tougher sanctions? Let me know in the comments section below.

Whether it is worth $50m-$85m is unknown but Koepka not being part of the equity scheme is a strong punishment on its own, so blocking him from sponsor's invites and FedEx Cup money as well as making a $5m charitable donation on top of that is fair.

And let's not forget the other consequences he has paid since joining LIV Golf, as Rory McIlroy recently pointed out when he said he'd be happy to have him back.

"I think they've already paid their consequence," McIlroy said on LIV players returning to the tour.

"They've made the money but paid their consequence in terms of you talk about the reputation and some of the things they've lost by going over there."

Koepka has dropped to 244th in the world having been a top-20 player when he left four years ago.

He was hardly considered for the 2025 US Ryder Cup team, having only been able to earn Ryder Cup points in Majors, and was also ineligible for the 2022 and 2024 Presidents Cup teams.

He hasn't been able to play in his hometown event, the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches (formerly the Honda Classic), since leaving as well as all of the other big PGA Tour events like The Players Championship, Signature Events and the WM Phoenix Open, which he has won twice.

He has also missed out on at least the first season of TGL, which is based locally to him and would likely have paid him more fortunes.

So while only $5m has actually come out of his bank balance so far, he is set to miss out on significant earnings and has paid plenty of consequences for taking nine-figures from LIV Golf and leaving the PGA Tour.

I think the Returning Member Program has struck a very good balance. Do you agree or disagree? Let me know below.

When Brooks Koepka's return to the PGA Tour was confirmed on Monday, there were a handful of important caveats included as part of the deal.

Number one, Koepka will not receive any money from the FedEx Cup bonus pool in 2026, no matter how well he plays.

Number two, the five-time Major winner is not able to join the Player Equity Program for the next five years (2026-2030), which will see him miss out on between $50 million and $85 million in potential equity earnings, according to the PGA Tour.

Thirdly, he has agreed to make a $5 million charitable donation to recipients determined by Koepka and the PGA Tour. Finally, Koepka will also not be able to claim a sponsor's exemption into any of the $20 million Signature events.

The 35-year-old's pocket could have been hit even harder in recent weeks after he chose to cut short his LIV Golf contract by a year - a deal which Koepka admitted in 2023 to be valued at over $100 million.

Nevertheless, Koepka has admitted he was keen to do whatever it took to return to a tour he grew up dreaming of playing on.

And as for the multi-million dollar punishments handed to him, Koepka admitted he understands the PGA Tour's point of view.

Speaking to the Associated Press by telephone, Koepka said: "It’s a harsh punishment financially. I understand exactly why the tour did that - it’s meant to hurt.

"But it (his departure) hurt a lot of people. If anyone is upset, I need to rebuild those relationships."

After announcing he was leaving LIV Golf on December 23, the AP reported that Koepka took some time at home before speaking over the phone with PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp last Thursday evening.

He then travelled to the PGA Tour's Sawgrass headquarters on Friday morning and arrived through a side entrance to complete his comeback. The PGA Tour Enterprises board, which is primarily made up of current tour pros, signed off on the deal.

Regarding his conversation with Rolapp last week, Koepka said: “There was no negotiating.

“It’s meant to hurt, it does hurt, but I understand. It’s not supposed to be an easy path. There’s a lot of people that were hurt by it when I left, and I understand that’s part of coming back.”

Now that Koepka's future is sorted, he will tee it up for the first time this season at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines later this month. Until then, the Florida-born pro admits he will sit with a sense of anxiety over how his peers might treat him.

He continued: “I’ve got a lot of work to do with some of the players. There’s definitely guys who are happy, and definitely guys who will be angry.

“The first week I’ll be a little bit nervous. There’s a lot going on than just golf. I’ll be glad to put the first week behind me - dealing with the media, dealing with the players, and then getting some of those tougher conversations. But I’m looking forward to it.

“Am I nervous? Yes. Am I excited? Yes. In a weird way, I want to have those conversations.

"There’s probably a mixed bag of, ‘We’re happy you’re back, welcome home’ to ‘You shouldn’t be here.’ I understand everybody’s point of view. I was going to be sitting out possibly a year, and I’m extremely thankful the tour gave me this opportunity.”

Also speaking to the AP, Jordan Spieth stated he just wants Koepka to be himself and suggested time - plus great play from the nine-time PGA Tour winner - will heal the old wounds.

Spieth said: “You’re not going to ask somebody to change to please other people.

“I don’t think he needs to play Monday pro-ams or walk along the range and shake everyone’s and say, ‘I’m sorry.’ He just comes back and plays really good golf. That’s good for everybody.”

Brooks Koepka has been allowed an immediate return to the PGA Tour after leaving LIV Golf last month due to the newly introduced 'Returning Member Program'.

The five-time Major champion will make his first PGA Tour appearance in almost four years at the Farmers Insurance Open on January 29th before teeing it up in the following week's WM Phoenix Open, which he won in 2015 and 2021.

It will be his first PGA Tour start since March 2022 before his move to LIV Golf.

The new 'Returning Member Program' is a pathway for certain LIV Golfers to re-join the Tour if they have won a Major or The Players Championship between 2022-2025.

The program applies to four golfers - Koepka, Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Smith. Players looking to make use of the Returning Member Program must accept the terms by Feb 2nd.

Koepka will not receive any money from the FedEx Cup bonus pool in 2026 and is not able to join the Player Equity Program for the next five years (2026-2030), which will see him miss out on $50-85 million in potential equity earnings according to the PGA Tour.

He has also agreed to make a $5m charitable donation to recipients determined by Koepka and the Tour.

Koepka, who is exempt on the PGA Tour until 2029 after winning the 2023 PGA Championship, is not eligible for sponsor exemptions into Signature Events and must play his way into them via regular methods - Aon Next 10, Aon Swing 5, winning a tournament or reaching the world's top 30. He must play in at least 15 'cosponsored or approved' tournaments this year.

Fields featuring Koepka, or any players returning via the program, will be expanded to ensure they do not take any qualified players' spots.

"The criteria ensures that those who have achieved the highest accomplishments in the game are eligible to return to the PGA Tour now, where the best players in the world compete week in and week out," the PGA Tour said of the new progam that has allowed Koepka's return.

“We will continue to aggressively pursue anything that enhances the fan experience and makes the PGA Tour stronger,” CEO Rolapp said in a letter to fans.

“This is part of our commitment to fans, who expect the world’s best players to compete on the PGA Tour week in and week out.”

"I want to thank my family and my team for their continued support throughout every step of my professional career. When I was a child, I always dreamed about competing on the @PGATOUR, and I am just as excited today to announce that I am returning to the PGA TOUR," Koepka said in a statement.

"Being closer to home and spending more time with my family makes this opportunity especially meaningful to me.

"I believe in where the PGA TOUR is headed with new leadership, new investors, and an equity program that gives players a meaningful ownership stake.

"I also understand there are financial penalties associated with this decision, and I accept those.

"Finally, I want to thank the fans. Your support means more to me today than ever before, and I look forward to seeing you soon at the Farmers Insurance Open and WM Phoenix Open."

Brooks Koepka has reapplied for PGA Tour membership after leaving LIV Golf last month, the PGA Tour has confirmed.

The five-time Major champion, who has four other PGA Tour victories, left LIV after four seasons having been one of the first big names to join in the inaugural season.

Koepka left LIV "amicably" according to CEO Scott O'Neil, with a statement from the former World No.1's team stating "he feels this is the right moment to spend more time at home."

The 35-year-old officially applied for his PGA Tour membership to be reinstated on Friday, ESPN first reported, with a disciplinary process set to follow. ESPN sources said the review will consist of "thoughtful input from the board, including player directors."

It is unknown whether he will be allowed to return immediately, be dealt with a 12-month suspension or face longer on the sidelines.

"Brooks Koepka is a highly accomplished professional, and we wish him and his family continued success," a PGA Tour statement read immediately after the news broke that he was leaving LIV Golf last month.

"The PGA Tour continues to offer the best professional golfers the most competitive, challenging and lucrative environment in which to pursue greatness," the statement finished.

Koepka is qualified for all four men's Majors this season after winning the 2023 PGA Championship, and he could also play in DP World Tour events on invites.

If a 12-month suspension is implemented, he would not be allowed to play until September due to his last LIV start being in late August.

His last regular PGA Tour start came in March 2022 at the Valspar Championship. He has made 186 PGA Tour appearances in his career, with nine victories and 13 runners-up finishes.

Never one to hold back, Brandel Chamblee says he "couldn't disagree more" with Rory McIlroy's comments about Brooks Koepka possibly returning to the PGA Tour.

Five-time Major champion Koepka left LIV Golf after four seasons but under the current rules in place could not return to the PGA Tour until August - 12 months after his last LIV Golf start.

Just what Koepka will do next is a big talking point in golf, but his situation has also brought into focus just what the pathway back to the PGA Tour could or should be for LIV golfers.

McIlroy said he'd welcome Koepka into his TGL event, while the new Grand Slam winner has also said he'd be OK with big-name LIV golfers returning to the PGA Tour without any penalties.

"If it made the overall tour stronger to have Bryson DeChambeau back and whoever else, I would be okay with it", McIlroy told The Overlap.

McIlroy added that LIV golfers had "paid their consequence in terms of you talk about the reputation and some of the things they've lost by going over there" so no further punishment would be required.

That's not an opinion shared by Chamblee though, who has always been the harshest critic of all things LIV Golf.

Chamblee believes just allowing Koepka or anyone else back from LIV Golf without any consequnce would set a dangerous precedent.

“I couldn’t disagree more with what Rory said," he said on The Favorite Chamblee podcast.

“I couldn’t disagree more with those who think that Brooks should be able to come back without some consequence."

Do you agree with Chamblee? Should Brooks Koepka be allowed to return to the PGA Tour right away? Let us know your thoughts by joining the conversation below...

Koepka could set dangerous precedent

Chamblee added that while Koepka possibly wanting to return would be a good thing - he couldn't just be welcomed back having been one of LIV's original big signings.

“It’s great if he does want to come back. I think that’s good," added Chamblee. "It’s the best legitimate tour in the world. But he was a key legitimiser of LIV. He wasn’t just an innocent bystander.

"I think the PGA Tour needs to be careful about setting a precedent here. To allow Brooks to come back with no consequence I think would undermine the meritocratic foundations that are the one thing that makes the PGA Tour legitimate.

“It’s not about retributions. It’s about setting a precedent. Institutions protect themselves by having rules that apply even to elite players, especially to elite players. Loyalty is not optional for elite players.

"If they allow Brooks to come back after leaving and causing or contributing to the disruption of the game and normalising defection to LIV, the message will be clear that the rules only apply to the expendable and not to the exceptional. I think that’s corrosive.”

PGA Tour becoming more like LIV

Chamblee agrees that eventually he wants the best players to play together, but again had more harsh words for LIV's impact on golf - and on how the PGA Tour needs to be careful not to become too elitist.

"Of course everybody wants the best players in the world to come back but you can't forget about what they did," Chamblee added.

"They hurt the PGA Tour, they hurt the ecosystem of the game, and if you allow them to come back without any consequence then you've privileged those who defected over those who stayed and that's not right.

"They caused a lot of damage to the professional game. They undermined the meaning of competition, they triggered legal warfare, they made unstable historically long sponsorship deals and they changed the structure of the whole professional game.

"People will say PGA Tour players make more money now, and they do but who's to say the net consequences 10 or 20 years down the line will be they destroyed the professional game we all know and love.

"It if becomes more about profit than philanthropy it will become more about selection than earning your way onto the PGA Tour.

"From what I can tell the PGA Tour has become a little bit more like LIV, it's more about smaller elite fields and when you do that you guarantee less competitive fields and the game becomes more about slection than earned status."

Chamblee believes that if LIV players were allowed back then at the least they'd have to be handed severe fines "that run into millions of dollars" adding "they'd have to hurt" but even then he thinks they would have to play their way back through qualifying or playing lower level events first.

'Inside The Ropes' is the chance for Golf Monthly's tour experts to share their honest opinions on the biggest subjects in the game. This week, it's all about Brooks Koepka.

'What's next for Brooks Koepka?' is one of the biggest questions in the game right now. The five-time Major winner recently left the LIV Golf League and is a free agent with almost every avenue open to him when, and if, he chooses to make his return.

When it was announced the Koepka was departing Smash GC - the team he captained for several seasons - the Florida-born pro said he was keen to spend more time with his family in Jupiter.

A statement read: "Family has always guided Brooks’s decisions, and he feels this is the right moment to spend more time at home."

Now back in the south-east corner of the United States, Koepka could well be weighing up his next move. Should he wish to continue playing pro golf and competing for Majors, the obvious call would be a return to the PGA Tour.

But, under current rules, the 35-year-old would not be permitted to tee it up in a PGA Tour event until the FedEx Cup Fall later this year, and that's an awfully long time to go without regular tour starts.

In the meantime, it's possible Koepka may entertain a season on the DP World Tour, with no such ban in place for competing in the LIV Golf League.

Even before that, Rory McIlroy was asked about the prospect of his fellow five-time Major winner playing in TGL, going as far as saying those involved would "find a way to include him" if he wanted to join this season.

What do you think Koepka is most likely to do next? Let us know in the comments box below. In the meantime, our tour experts have shared their thoughts.

There are three possibilities I see for Brooks Koepka’s 2026. Option one, the most likely I feel, is a return to the PGA Tour once his suspension lifts in late August after playing in all four Majors and a few DP World Tour events to keep his game in shape.

Option two would be to only play in the four Majors, and option three would be an immediate return to the PGA Tour.

The statement from the Tour indicated it would be happy to welcome him back, and this new PGA Tour under Brian Rolapp’s leadership may choose to rewrite the rules and allow the five-time Major champion and former World No.1 to return instantly.

Rory McIlroy would have no problems with that, but with fewer PGA Tour cards now in the frame and $20m Signature Events in play I’m not sure how the mid-tier players would take that.

If I was Brian Rolapp, I’d be trying to get Koepka back ASAP. In the meantime, he could well slot into Tiger Woods’ Jupiter Links TGL team considering he is a Jupiter local and clearly will have a bit more time on his hands this winter.

On the one hand, I can reasonably see Koepka returning to pro golf on the DP World Tour in the coming weeks and months before ultimately landing back on the PGA Tour in time.

But, personally, I don't believe he'll end up playing TGL - despite the valid reasons Elliott has offered up above.

On the other hand, I do wonder whether Koepka might retire. I'm not saying it's likely, but you never know what's going on behind closed doors in his personal life and things might have changed since he stated early last year that one of his aims was to win 10 or more Majors.

In addition, consider the fact that he's chosen to leave LIV Golf where he was almost guaranteed an uncapped flow of cash for however long he needed while remaining exempt into all four Majors.

Plus, LIV's limited schedule meant he was only away from home for maybe 4-5 months of the year at most (including Majors), while almost half of that time was spent in America anyway.

If the best part of eight months at home wasn't enough to satisfy Koepka's desire to spend more time with his family - the reason he gave for quitting LIV - I do wonder whether he would be happy to walk away with five Majors and very realistically upwards of $200 million earned.

I think Koepka will play a handful of events before the Major season ramps up at The Masters in April, with the American using this time out to reset mentally and psychologically.

Given the year he had in 2025, it's completely understandable why Koepka wants to be back home with his family and, given his injury struggles and the PGA Tour ban as well, now is the time that I think he'll put his mind to being back to 100% fitness.

Serving his PGA Tour ban, he should be eligible to return in the Fall. Between now and then are all four Majors and some big events on the DP World Tour, so to keep that competitive streak going, I would expect him to be present at one or two of them, like he was in 2025.

Do I think he'll play TGL? Possibly. Koepka lives in the area and, given that the TGL is expanding in 2027, it would need more players. Ultimately, it will be up to him on whether he plays, but there's no denying that the PGA Tour would certainly not say no to someone of his caliber.

TGL co-founder Rory McIlroy has said he would "love" Brooks Koepka to join the tech-infused competition now that the American is no longer associated with the LIV Golf League.

It was announced that Koepka had departed LIV late last month as the five-time Major winner wished to spend more time with his family, which is based in Jupiter, Florida.

With Koepka's future now up in the air, he could conceivably compete in TGL as it offers an extremely limited schedule and is based out of SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

Not to mention, TGL is associated with the PGA Tour and - as a result - does not allow its rival's circuit's players to take part.

However, given that Koepka is now a free agent and could return to the PGA Tour in time, should he wish, McIlroy believes the prime-time league would clearly benefit from Koepka's attendance.

Speaking after Boston Common's first TGL victory on Friday night - a 7-5 success over Los Angeles GC - McIlroy was asked whether he would be open to his long-time Major rival joining the event.

McIlroy said: "I would say that's up to people that are more powerful and more important than me. But I am one of the founders.

"I would love him to play. If there's space on a team for Brooks to come and play, it only makes what we're trying to do stronger.

"He's a five-time major champion. He's been one of the best players of our generation. If he decides it's something that he wants to do, I'm sure we'll find a way to include him."

McIlroy, who spoke at length about subjects such as LIV players returning to the PGA Tour and his Masters victory last April on The Overlap days earlier, was finally a part of a winning TGL team in Boston Common's first match of season two on Friday night.

Michael Thorbjornsen was a late replacement for Adam Scott and Hideki Matsuyama, who could not attend "due to scheduling", and played a central part for the green team with Keegan Bradley and McIlroy happy to play supporting roles.

The 24-year-old stumbled out of the gate with a chunked bunker shot but recovered superbly with some monster drives and clutch putts.

After Bradley and McIlroy had won holes for Boston with mid-range putts, Thorbjornsen drained his golf ball from 17 feet at the 12th hole and almost 16 feet at the last to clinch a long-overdue victory.

Reacting to the win afterwards, Thorbjornsen said: "I think this morning was my fourth time here, and I think every time that I've been here prior to, I've had a few hours of practice.

"Been in here with Keegan a few days prior to today, as well. I got a good amount of practice in, played the course plenty of times. Felt pretty comfortable out there.

"Definitely did not feel good after leaving it in the bunker. Bunker shots out here are really difficult. It wasn't a very hard shot, I just didn't quite execute.

"These guys are great. They're pumping me up. There's plenty more golf left to be played, so just do the best that I possibly can moving forward."

Brooks Koepka has left LIV Golf, it has been confirmed.

The five-time Major champion joined the Saudi-backed league in 2022 and went on to win five titles.

A statement from Koepka's representatives says he wishes to spend more time at home with his family; wife, Jena and son, Crew.

"Brooks Koepka will be stepping away from LIV Golf," Koepka's representatives said in a statement.

"He is deeply grateful to Yasir Al-Rumayyan, Scott O’Neil, and the LIV Golf leadership team, his teammates, and the fans.

"Family has always guided Brooks’s decisions, and he feels this is the right moment to spend more time at home. Brooks will continue to be a huge supporter of LIV Golf and wishes the league and its players continued success.

"Brooks remains passionate about the game of golf and will keep fans updated on what’s ahead. "

"We have amicably and mutually agreed that Brooks Koepka will no longer compete in the LIV Golf League, following the 2025 season," LIV Golf CEO Scott O'Neil said.

"Brooks is prioritizing the needs of his family and staying closer to home. We appreciate the significant impact he has had on the game and wish him continued success, both on and off the course."

Koepka captained the Smash GC team in the LIV Golf League, and his teammate Talor Gooch has now taken over to lead the side into the 2026 campaign. Smash's roster now includes Gooch, Jason Kokrak and Graeme McDowell.

Koepka has won nine times on the PGA Tour, including his five Majors and four other tournaments.

What next for Brooks Koepka? Analysis

The Sports Business Journal's Josh Carpenter was first to report the news earlier this month, citing multiple sources that the former World No.1 may not play on LIV Golf in 2026.

Koepka reportedly had a contract for the 2026 campaign so leaving a year early is a huge blow to the league, as he was one of the star names to join in the inaugural season. He is the first huge name to leave the big money tour since its inception.

The question will turn to what next for Koepka, and it is likely he will be suspended by the PGA Tour for 12 months following his most recent start in LIV Golf, which came in August.

That means he should be eligible to return to the PGA Tour following the FedEx Cup Playoffs conclusion and begin playing on the US circuit again when September's FedEx Cup Fall begins, which would mark his first PGA Tour start since March 2022.

He will be eligible to play on the DP World Tour all season and is also exempt into all four men's Majors next year.

The LIV Golf Michigan Team Championship has already thrown up a number of surprises, but fans are set to miss out on a huge match on Saturday.

Defeating Majesticks GC 2-1, Bryson DeChambeau's Crushers GC are through to a semi-final where, on Friday, their team captain selected Brooks Koepka's Smash GC, who won 2-1 against the 4Aces GC.

As we saw in the majority of the six quarter-final matches, the teams' captains will usually face off against one another but, for their match, DeChambeau won't play long-time rival, Koepka.

Speaking in the press conference on Friday, Koepka stated: "I like myself in one (going out first), and (Talor) Gooch is playing good at the two slot. Then those guys (Jason Kokrak and Graeme McDowell) in foursomes played really solid today. We're not going to mess with a winning formula."

Upon hearing the news, DeChambeau then revealed his side's line-up for the semi final, explaining that: "Our foursomes choice will be the same today with Paul (Casey) and Charles (Howell III) playing together. Then I'm going to put Anirban (Lahiri) at No. 1 against Brooks, and then myself against Talor."

Certainly, the decision seemed to surprise some, with host and emcee Jason Zone Fisher asking DeChambeau why he had opted to swap his and Lahiri's spots around.

Answering that question, the two-time US Open winner said "I've got my reasons," before adding that "it's not personal, though, I can tell you that. It's not."

Although the reason for the swap is unclear, it caused some reaction from Koepka, with a video from the LIV Golf social media account showing the five-time Major winner asking the question "I don't know what the thinking was behind that."

He added "I'd probably say the people would want to see that (DeChambeau and Koepka match-up). I don't know what he was afraid of. I don't know, he beats to his own drum, so he's a strange cat."

In the quarter finals, DeChambeau got the better of Lee Westwood 4&2, while Lahiri lost his match against Sam Horsfield 2&1.

Away from that game, Koepka was defeated 1-down by former Ryder Cup teammate Dustin Johnson, while Gooch claimed an impressive 1-up win over match-play specialist Patrick Reed.

DeChambeau and Koepka's past has been heavily noted in the past, with the duo embroiled in, somewhat, of a feud that culminated in The Match in November 2021, with the latter winning 4&3.

The duo seemed to patch things up though a few years later on, even pairing up together in a PGA Tour vs LIV Golf showdown against Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy. In that match, the LIV pair lost to the World No.1 and 2.

There's still plenty of big matches to look forward to, though, at The Cardinal at Saint John’s course, despite DeChambeau and Koepka not facing off.

Legion XIII GC and HyFlyers GC will be the first match out, as Jon Rahm and Phil Mickelson face off, while Torque GC captain, Joaquin Niemann, will play Stinger GC's Dean Burmester.

After the semi finals, the winning teams on Saturday will play for the Team Championship title on Sunday’s stroke-play finals.

Brooks Koepka is among several Major-winning LIV Golf stars who have already committed to DP World Tour events later this year.

Koepka is currently attempting to finish off his season with Smash GC in style at LIV Golf Indianapolis, but only a matter of days after the Team Championship in Michigan the following week, the five-time Major winner will head to the British Isles to compete at the Amgen Irish Open.

One of the European circuit's first Back 9 tournaments is being staged at The K Club between September 4-7 and will feature defending champion, Rasmus Hojgaard - who defeated Rory McIlroy at Royal County Down 12 months ago - plus former LIV player, Eugenio Chacarra among others.

The $6 million event will also include Sergio Garcia and Tyrrell Hatton after the Spaniard paid off his outstanding fines and reapplied for DP World Tour membership late last year.

Garcia is a former Irish Open champion, winning the title back in 1999 after defeating Angel Cabrera by three strokes at Druids Glen. He last played the event in 2015 but missed the cut.

Meanwhile, Hatton has appeared at the Irish Open seven times across his career and has failed to play the weekend on five occasions. Remarkably, in the two where he made the cut, the Englishman finished T4th (2015) and T5th (2016).

Hatton is also set for a return to the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in October where he will defend his title alongside Koepka once again and, for 2025, Bubba Watson.

Koepka and Watson will be among the latest crop of US golfers to try and break the American curse at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, with no golfer from the States having ever tasted success since the event began in 2001.

After being confirmed, Watson said: "I’ve heard so much about the event and I’m really looking forward to playing.

"St Andrews is one of the most special and historic golfing locations in the world and Carnoustie is among the greatest Open Championship courses. Kingsbarns is a beautiful layout and a challenge in the wind.

"I'm also excited to have my wife, Angie, there with me and get to play with her, too. All in all, I think we are in for a great week.”

Meanwhile, Koepka - who finished runner-up alongside Paul Harris in the 2014 team competition - said: "I’ve been fortunate to play in several Dunhill Links, as well as two Open Championships at St Andrews over the years, and these trips are always highlights.

"The atmosphere on and off the course at the Dunhill is fantastic. I was able to play with my father one year and my good friend and caddie, Ricky Elliott, the other.

"Those two weeks will always be very special to me. I love links golf and St Andrews is my favourite course in the world."

The $5 million Alfred Dunhill Links Championship is set for October 2-5 across St Andrews' Old Course, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns before the final round returns to the Home of Golf.

The Open Championship was not quite a last chance for Ryder Cup hopefuls to impress, but it may have been a missed opportunity for some big names to press their claims to make their respective teams.

This seems especially true for Team USA more than Europe - with Luke Donald looking like having a far more settled side with many of the 12 that won in Rome in 2023 set to return.

The big 10 for Europe seem almost assured and make our very own Ryder Cup team predictions pretty settled in terms of the visitors in New York, with Sergio Garcia the 'biggest' name likely to miss out.

One of the Hojgaard twins or Matt Fitzpatrick could be others who miss out but they're likely the only big decisions to make - while for Keegan Bradley he has some Ryder Cup stalwarts nowhere near in good enough form to warrant a pick.

Brooks Koepka

One of America's biggest alpha males, Brooks Koepka has played in four Ryder Cups, won eight points and is unbeaten in singles with a 3-0-1 record when going man-to-man.

But he's just not been himself this season, missing three cuts from four in the Majors and not managing to win on LIV Golf - with just two top 10s ahead of the latest round in the UK.

He's nowhere near qualifying so Bradley would be taking it all on trust that he could find something back at Bethpage, where he won the US Open, but that'll be a huge gamble in this form.

Patrick Reed

Three Ryder Cups, eight points from 12 matches including a perfect three-for-three in singles and a match of the century contender against Rory McIlroy - Patrick Reed has excelled as Captain America over the years.

A fallout with Jordan Spieth and move to LIV saw him miss out on the last two, and after coming third at The Masters and winning on LIV he's fallen away this season and missed the cut at The Open.

Bradley may feel he lacks experience in his side and having Reed around would certainly add a swagger, and raise the temperature and the atmosphere even higher at Bethpage - but he'd be the ultimate wildcard pick.

Dustin Johnson

OK, so it's not really a surprise but Dustin Johnson doesn't look like he'll make the side - making his perfect 5-0 record from Whistling Straits possibly his last action from five Ryder Cups.

Outside the top 100 in the standings, he missed three out of four cuts so surely won't be anywhere near Bradley's thinking unless he's planning a major curve ball for the Europeans.

It's a shame as DJ was dynamite in his perfect 2021 outing - and the best thing about him is that his matches are decisive, as he's never halved a Ryder Cup match with his record being an impressive 12-9-0.

Rickie Fowler

If you had sponsor invites into the Ryder Cup Rickie Fowler might get in! He rode the system nicely to get into The Open and finished T14, but barring a late season charge his race looks run.

He's a five-event veteran in the Ryder Cup, but Fowler's record doesn't breed confidence as he's only won three of his 17 matches and 5.5 points overall.

A huge crowd favorite, yes, but at 42nd in the standings and with that record chances are he'll have more chance being at Bethpage as an extra vice-captain than as a player.

Tony Finau

A nice symetrical won three, lost three record from Tony Finau's matches across two Ryder Cups, but he missed out in Rome last time and is just outside the top 20 in the standings again after a so-so season.

Down in 67th on Data Golf shows he's not been playing that well either, with just that spark missing from his play. He won four times in the 14 months before the last Ryder Cup and still didn't make the team - he looks to stand no chance this time.

Max Homa

Max Homa played really well in his Ryder Cup debut in Rome, winning 3.5 points after being trusted to play all five matches, but his form has fallen off a cliff since.

He's missed cuts by the bucketload and didn't even make the last two Majors of the season, so he's got no chance sadly until he can at least find some of his best form.

Coming off a T12 finish at the US Open, Brooks Koepka had been predicted to push on and contend at LIV Golf Dallas, but it was quite the opposite for the five-time Major winner.

Played at Maridoe Golf Club, players battled near 100-degree heat and, for Koepka, the American struggled, sitting seven-over-par through eight holes and eventually withdrawing due to illness

Birdieing the second hole, his opening hole of the day, Koepka then made uncharacteristic triple bogeys at the fifth and seventh which saw him go from one-under to five-over.

Back-to-back bogeys followed at the ninth and 10th and, with Koepka's frustrations starting to show on the ninth, where he slammed his driver into the ground and smashed a tee marker, he withdrew.

Replaced by Reserve Luis Carrera for the remainder of the round, who carded a one-over-par score, Koepka could well return to the course over the weekend but, according to LIV Golf Communications, his score would only go towards the team.

The withdrawal from the Smash GC captain was the third of the event, with a returning Matt Wolff also withdrawing from the tournament with injury, being replaced by Ollie Schniederjans.

Wolff, who withdrew at LIV Golf Virginia, was making his first start back, but was forced to pull out before the tournament even began, just like Cleeks GC's Frederik Kjettrup, who was forced out with injury and replaced by German, Max Rottluff.

In fact, at one point on Friday, all three Reserve players were on-course and it led to the question of who'd step up if one more player withdrew. Fortunately, that moment didn't occur at Maridoe Golf Club.

After the first round, it's 4Aces GC who dominate proceedings, with three of their players in the top five and two of them sharing the lead.

Carding a five-under 67, both Harold Varner III and Patrick Reed are tied at the top, with the pair one shot clear of Legion XIII GC captain Jon Rahm and two shots clear of Fireballs GC's Abraham Ancer.

Brooks Koepka has been widely recognized as one of the world’s best players for over a decade. He rapidly rose up the world rankings after turning pro in 2012, even enjoying four spells at the top of the list between 2018 and 2019.

Along the way, he has also won five Major titles, while he played for the US in its 2017 Presidents Cup win as well as four editions of the Ryder Cup.

After a string of PGA Tour and DP World Tour wins, he moved to LIV Golf in 2022, where the titles kept on coming, including becoming the first of its players to five victories, which he achieved at the 2024 LIV Golf Greenbrier tournament.

But who does Koepka lean on behind the scenes to ensure he remains at the top of his game? Here are the details.

Caddie - Ricky Elliott

Koepka has won five Majors in his career so far, and alongside him for all of them has been caddie Ricky Elliott. The Northern Irishman was a promising player as a youngster, winning titles including the Ulster Boys Championship and the Ulster Youth Championship.

After turning to caddying, he worked with Maarten Lafeber and 2003 Open Champion Ben Curtis before linking up with Koepka in 2013. His knowledge will be invaluable at the 2025 Open at Royal Portrush, a course he played regularly as a youngster.

Short Game Coach – Pete Cowen

Cowen and Koepka go back a number of years, with the pair working together when Koepka was making his name in the game, something he alluded to after the first round of the 2025 US Open.

He gave a fascinating insight into his working relationship with Cowen, explaining that he had first been given a dressing down by him at the Erin Hills edition in 2017, which he went on to win, and that he had again been given some home truths before returning to form after the first 18 holes at Oakmont.

He said: “We worked pretty hard last week, Pete Cowen and Jeff Pierce were on me pretty good, and Pete got into me again on Monday, in the bunker for about 45 minutes. I just sat there, and he scolded me pretty well.”

That suits Koepka, who added: “I don't like having ‘yes’ people around me. I just want somebody to tell me the truth, tell me what's going on, what they see. If I start swaying from being Brooks Koepka, then I want someone to call me out on it, and he did a helluva job on it.”

Putting Coach – Jeff Pierce

Pierce is another long-term member of Koepka’s coaching set up. He had been a college golfer with Morehead State, and told the university’s website: “I was talented as a player, but I enjoyed helping the younger guys just as much.”

When a playing career didn’t work out, he began life as an assistant golf professional with Butch Harmon. He added: "I did a lot of research, studied, and started making guys better. A few people noticed, and before I knew it, I was helping coach guys on the PGA Tour."

He began working with Koepka as his putting coach in 2014, and remains in the role today.

Physical Therapist – Marc Wahl

Marc Wahl has vast experience as a physical therapist, having begun working on the fitness of professional golfers in 2008, including Koepka from the late 2010s. Koepka told The Suffolk Times in 2018 that Wahl is a part of “every decision that goes into my body. He’s on the phone and texting with my doctors. I actually speak with him more than anybody else.”

There’s no doubt he has worked wonders with Koepka, who endured a series of injuries, including a torn patella tendon in his left knee, a labrum injury in his left hip and a dislocated knee after falling at his home in 2021. Two years later, he was well and truly back to full fitness, culminating in winning the PGA Championship for the third time.

Agent/Manager – Blake Smith

As a five-time Major winner, Koepka is one of the game’s most marketable players, and handling his off-course business is agent and manager Blake Smith.

Smith earned a degree in Business Management at Texas Tech, where he also played for the men’s golf team, and joined Hambric Sports in 2000. He is the son on golf instructor Randy Smith.

Wife – Jena Sims

According to reports, Koepka met actress Jena Sims at the 2015 Masters, and the pair began dating two years later. She was also there to celebrate with Koepka when he won the 2017 US Open.

The couple got engaged in April 2021, with Koepka proposing on a beach in Jupiter, Florida, before the pair married the following year. Nowadays, the two have a son, Crew.

Georgia-born Sims attended Belmont University, where she studied International Business before turning to acting and modeling.