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Brooks Koepka took the golf world by storm at the end of the 2010s, winning four majors between 2018 and 2019.
His dominance in majors made him an instant fan favorite, but after a move to LIV Golf in 2022, fans saw a lot less of Koepka.
That’s because upon leaving the PGA Tour for the Saudi-backed league, Koepka was only eligible to play in majors. His performance in them in 2023, though, topped off with his third PGA Championship victory, also got him a nod for the Ryder Cup.
But amid poor play since then, and after rumors of buyer’s remorse, Koepka exited LIV Golf with a year left on his deal to return to the PGA Tour last week.
In speaking about Koepka’s return, Tiger Woods said it is “incredible for all the fans.”
“They want to see the best play against the best,” Woods said to ESPN on Tuesday. “And for Brooks to want to come back, a year early, and he was able to do that.”
“There’s some punitive damages there, but it’s a meritocracy. That’s what makes our game so great. He’s going to play full-field events, and he has the ability to earn his way up to signature events. If he’s good, he’s good. If he plays great, he plays great. If he wins tournaments, he wins tournaments. There’s no reason why we should hold him back,” Woods continued.
Koepka opted out of LIV Golf late last month, citing family time as his reason for leaving. Ironically, he will be on the road even more after rejoining the PGA Tour. In fact, Cameron Smith reiterated his commitment to LIV Golf earlier this week, saying it allows him to be home more often.
“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. Being closer to home and spending more time with my family makes this opportunity especially meaningful to me,” Koepka said in his PGA Tour return announcement.
LIV GOLF STARS COMMIT TO STAYING PUT AFTER BROOKS KOEPKA’S DEPARTURE, RETURN TO PGA TOUR
“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.”
PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp said Koepka’s return sparked the Returning Member Program for those who left the company and may decide to follow in Koepka’s footsteps.
Rolapp said Koepka agreed to a few conditions upon his return to the PGA Tour, including a “five-year forfeiture of potential equity in the PGA Tour’s Player Equity Program, representing one of the largest financial repercussions in professional sports history, with estimations that he could miss out on approximately $50–85 million in potential earnings, depending on his competitive performance and the growth of the Tour,” according to Rolapp. Koepka will also make a $5 million charitable donation to an organization yet to be determined.
Koepka became the first person to return to the PGA Tour after defecting for LIV Golf.
Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.
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