Quick Read
- Brooks Koepka returned to the PGA Tour at the 2026 Farmers Insurance Open in La Jolla, California, after a nearly four-year stint with LIV Golf.
- He shot 1-over through 12 holes on the challenging Torrey Pines South Course in his opening round.
- Koepka cited a desire to spend more time with his family as the primary reason for his return.
- He revealed that Tiger Woods was the first person he called to discuss his reinstatement to the PGA Tour.
- The PGA Tour has actively promoted Koepka’s return, featuring him in prominent groups and securing ESPN coverage for his opening rounds.
LA JOLLA (Azat TV) – Five-time major champion Brooks Koepka officially made his return to the PGA Tour this week at the 2026 Farmers Insurance Open in La Jolla, California, marking his first competitive appearance on the Tour since 2022 after nearly four years with the LIV Golf circuit. His highly anticipated comeback, which began Thursday at Torrey Pines, has drawn significant attention, not only for his performance but also for the underlying reasons behind his decision to rejoin the traditional tour and the pivotal role golf legend Tiger Woods played in his reinstatement.
Koepka teed off just after 12:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, playing alongside Ludvig Aberg and Max Homa. Despite the perfect weather conditions at Torrey Pines, Koepka’s initial round on the challenging South Course proved to be a grind. He opened with a pair of pars on the first two holes but recorded his first bogey on the par-4 fourth. By the 12th hole, Koepka stood at 1-over, placing him T106 on the live leaderboard. The South Course is widely acknowledged as more difficult than the North Course, a fact underscored by the strong performances of players like Max Greyserman, who fired a 5-under 31 on the North Course’s front nine to take an early lead.
Brooks Koepka’s Return Driven by Family and Tiger Woods’ Counsel
Koepka’s decision to end his LIV Golf contract a year early and return to the PGA Tour was primarily motivated by a desire to spend more time with his family, according to statements from both Koepka and his attorney and advisor, Bryan Freedman. This reasoning is notably ironic, as many players initially defected to LIV Golf citing a less demanding schedule for similar family-oriented reasons. Freedman emphasized that the intense international travel schedule of LIV Golf kept Koepka away from his family, leading him to long for more time closer to the U.S.
Crucially, Koepka revealed that the first person he contacted upon being released from his LIV contract was Tiger Woods. Woods, a 15-time major winner and chairman of the PGA Tour’s Future Competitions Committee, remains a respected figure among his peers. Koepka stated that he had always maintained a good relationship with Woods and felt he was the most comfortable point of contact for guidance on returning to the PGA Tour. This call, made around December 23, underscored Woods’ continued influence within the golf world and Koepka’s respect for his counsel.
PGA Tour’s Welcoming Stance and Broader Implications
The PGA Tour, under CEO Brian Rolapp, has visibly embraced Koepka’s return. Not only was he added to the Farmers Insurance Open field, but his comeback has been heavily promoted across the tour’s social media channels, even integrated into their season slogan, ‘Where the Best Belong.’ Koepka was placed in a featured group, and the Tour facilitated ESPN’s broadcast of his initial two rounds on its main network, marking the first time in nearly two decades ESPN has televised a non-major PGA Tour event. This warm reception signals the Tour’s strategy to strengthen its roster by welcoming back top players, even those who previously joined LIV Golf.
The sentiment among some PGA Tour players and analysts is that Koepka’s return is a net positive. Rob Lee of Sky Sports Golf argued that Koepka should be welcomed back, suggesting that the existence of lucrative Signature Events on the PGA Tour is a direct response to the competition posed by LIV Golf. Lee noted that Koepka never publicly disparaged the PGA Tour during his time with LIV. Rory McIlroy, another prominent PGA Tour figure, commented that Koepka’s return indicates a desire to compete at the highest level, suggesting that some LIV players may feel they are ‘not getting everything they wanted’ on the breakaway circuit. Koepka himself expressed gratitude for being wanted and accepted back.
Farmers Insurance Open Details and Koepka’s Outlook
The 2026 Farmers Insurance Open, running from January 29 to February 1, features a total prize fund of $9.6 million, with the winner taking home $1.728 million. The tournament is played across two renowned courses at Torrey Pines: the North Course and the more challenging South Course. Golfers play one round on each course over the first two days before the 36-hole cut, with all subsequent rounds held on the South Course. Koepka’s current Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) is 255th, as LIV Golf events do not award OWGR points, and he has faced a mixed record in recent non-LIV appearances, including three missed cuts in majors last year.
Despite his current position on the leaderboard, Koepka’s presence alone is seen as a significant win for the PGA Tour, especially as other players, like Patrick Reed, have also indicated intentions to return. The Tour’s willingness to create a pathway back for these players, albeit with certain conditions like suspensions and no player equity eligibility, highlights a strategic shift under its new leadership. For Koepka, whose wife Jena revealed a miscarriage in October, the return to a more stable, U.S.-focused schedule appears to align with his personal priorities and competitive drive.
Koepka’s return underscores a critical inflection point in professional golf, where the PGA Tour is actively reasserting its position by reintegrating high-profile talent, signaling a potential shift towards consolidation and a renewed focus on attracting the sport’s biggest names back to its flagship events.