HONOLULU (AP) — Brooks Koepka was allowed to return to the PGA Tour on Monday after four years on Saudi-funded LIV Golf, and his fellow players weighed in on the tour's move.
Koepka is required to make a $5 million charity donation, does not have access to the Player Equity Program for five years and cannot get FedEx Cup bonus money in 2026. He also cannot receive sponsor exemptions to the signature events.
He makes his return Jan. 29 in the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines.
“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.”
“I'm not shocked. I figured there would be a path back for these guys. ... For PGA Tour players who hold some animosity, who want to see some skin, this hopefully gives them what they want. And at the same time, it shows (LIV) guys there's a price you have to pay to come back.”
“I'm in a tough spot because I'm friends with Brooks. A lot of guys are friends with Brooks out here. A couple of years ago, there was a lot more hostility between the two tours. That's gone down. I'm happy for Brooks. I'm happy for the tour that we're finally getting to the point of moving past all this crap and getting back to golf.”
“Like most guys, when you hear he's coming back, your first instinct is to be upset. But I think the punishment is real. It's not a free pass back into perfectly good graces. ... Your main thing is, 'Where’s the one-year suspension? Where's the time served?' I think that will be the hardest hurdle for PGA Tour players to get over. But $5 million is a lot.”
“The punishment, no one knows exactly what it is until you see what happens with what the growth of equity becomes going forward. Could it end up being close to what he went to LIV for? Maybe. Probably not. But regardless, it's substantial enough that if he were to play well, then it would still be a penalty.”
“This is a one-time, defined window and is not a precedent for future situations. Once the door closes, there is no promise that this path will be available again.”
“From the outset, LIV Golf has championed an open ecosystem and freedom, for all. Not just a limited few. One that supports players’ rights to compete across various platforms, reinforcing the belief that the growth of the game is best served when the game’s best players are empowered to seek the most competitive environments around the world.”
“In everything that happens, there's isn't all winners and all losers. There's some good and bad. The positive is the tour with Brooks Koepka is a stronger tour. Regardless of how you feel about him leaving the PGA Tour, regardless of how you feel about LIV Golf, the PGA Tour is stronger today. I find it to be an OK compromise.”
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Please purchase a Premium Subscription to continue reading.
To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.
We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.
A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means you’re helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!
Only subscribers can view and post comments on articles.
Already a subscriber? Login Here
What the Constitution Means to Me Read moreWhat The Constitution Means To Me
Join us for community fun! Free antique and collectible appraisals by Clars Auction. Over 30… Read moreMillbrae Senior Showcase
DavidKristofferson said:
Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.
Error! There was an error processing your request.
Sorry, an error occurred.
Already Subscribed!
Cancel anytime
Thank you .
Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in.
Check your email for details.
Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.
An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account.
No promotional rates found.
Secure & Encrypted
Thank you.
Your gift purchase was successful! Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in.
| Rate: | |
| Begins: | |
| Transaction ID: |
A receipt was sent to your email.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.