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Koepka: 'Nervous' about return, must rebuild ties

playHow do current players feel about Koepka's PGA Tour return? (1:14)Mark Schlabach breaks down the details of Brooks Koepka's return to the PGA Tour under the Returning Member Program. (1:14)Associated PressJan 12, 2026, 05:43 PM ETEmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsHONOLULU -- Brooks Koepka is expecting a nervous energy when he returns to a regular PGA Tour event for the first time in four years at the Farmers Insurance Open. Only some of that pertains to his golf. How he is received -- inside and outside the ropes -- remains to be seen as the first player to be invited back to the PGA Tour after taking Saudi riches to defect to the LIV Golf League in 2022."I've got a lot of work to do with some of the players," Koepka said in a telephone interview Monday.

Koepka: 'Nervous' about return, must rebuild ties

Credit: Go

Key Highlights

  • "There's definitely guys who are happy, and definitely guys who will be angry.
  • 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."Koepka was allowed back under a one-time Returning Member Program that the PGA Tour board developed and approved last week.
  • It applies only to players who have won a major or the Players Championship since 2022. The penalty is a $5 million contribution to a charity the tour will help decide, no access to FedEx Cup bonus money in 2026, no sponsor exemptions to the $20 million signature events and, most importantly, no equity grants in the PGA Tour for the next five years. The PGA Tour estimates, based on Koepka performing at the level allowed to win five majors, that the financial repercussions could be worth anywhere from $50 million to $85 million."There was no negotiating," Koepka said about his conversation last week with Brian Rolapp, the CEO of PGA Tour Enterprises.
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Sources

  1. Koepka: 'Nervous' about return, must rebuild ties

This quick summary is automatically generated using AI based on reports from multiple news sources. The content has not been reviewed or verified by humans. For complete details, accuracy, and context, please refer to the original published articles.

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