Brooks Koepka’s comeback to the PGA Tour continues to generate a lot of attention in the Golf World. Many well-known figures in the industry have expressed their opinions on this move, and recently, Rory McIlroy did it too. The World No. 2 is currently present in Dubai for the DP World Tour’s 2026 Dubai Invitational, and there, after his opening round, he discussed Koepka and LIV Golf.
The Northern Irish golfer described how Brooks Koepka is undoubtedly making his way back to his rightful spot. McIlroy asserted that Koepka is one of the best in the world and that the competition in the PGA Tour’s tournaments will improve as a result of this move. The Career Grand Slam winner also continued to claim that, in the end, he just cares about what is best for the traditional tour.
According to The Telegraph Sport, the 36-year-old golfer stated,
“This is great as it gets Brooks back to where he belongs…He is one of the best players in the world, and anything that makes the traditional tours stronger is a good thing in my book.”
Brooks Koepka has returned to the PGA Tour through the circuit’s new Returning Members Program. The tour decided to let any players who have won a major or the President Cup since 2022 make a comeback after paying a specific fine. Koepka’s fine is estimated to be $5 million, which he will donate to any charity chosen by the Tour. Apart from that, the former LIV Golfer will not receive any benefits, such as a FedEx bonus or PGA Tour benefit money, for the next five years.
While this move by Kopeka has been portrayed as a major setback for LIV Golf, a golf analyst recently disagreed on it.
Golf Analyst claims Brooks Koepka’s departure is hardly a huge setback for LIV Golf
Rex Hoggard, a well-known golf analyst, recently appeared in an interview and discussed Brooks Koepka’s departure from LIV Golf. There, Hoggard indicated that Koepka’s departure from the tour was in discussion for several months, and that while it is a blow, it is not a major one. According to the expert, if golfers such as Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, or Cam Smith make the transition, then that will be a significant setback for LIV.
According to the Golfing Gazette, Rex Hoggard stated,
“Brooks was disgruntled almost from the second he went over to LIV Golf. So, this was always going to be a possibility. It’s a blow. Trust me, this gives the tour leverage for the first time in a really long time in whatever the ongoing conversation is between the two sides. A true body blow would have been if one of the other three players, we’re talking about Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cam Smith, if they decided to jump ship.”
Brooks Koepka, on the other hand, will begin his 2026 PGA Tour season with the Farmers Insurance Open. The tournament begins on January 29 at the Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego, California.
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