Brooks Koepka's PGA Tour return: How switch back from LIV Golf could bring more fractures and fresh challenges to the sport
How will PGA Tour players react to Brooks Koepka's return from LIV Golf? What could have been done to unify the men's professional game? Can Scottie Scheffler continue his dominance? Sky Sports Golf's Ewen Murray reflects on an intriguing time for the sport...
Friday 16 January 2026 06:20, UK
After a short break, the various Tours that make up our sport have awakened from their winter hibernation and now embark on the 2026 season.
This season has a lot to live up to after the Grand Slam success of Rory McIlroy and the extraordinary three days of Ryder Cup excitement in Farmingdale, New York, where Team Europe enjoyed such a historic week.
Thoughts turn to whether the domination of Scottie Scheffler continues at the top of the world rankings, or whether the double major winner in 2025 is reeled in by his closest challengers. Perhaps a new name hits the headlines and rises to the top over the next 10 months?
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We've already seen big talking points after five-time major winner Brooks Koepka left LIV Golf to re-join the PGA Tour. There are many opinions across various sections of the media and sport - some happy, some not so.
New PGA Tour commissioner Brian Rolapp - and his committee in Ponte Vedra, after much deliberation, introduced a new rule under the name of 'Returning Member Programme'. By being a major champion, Koepka benefited from this rule and will mark his return at Torrey Pines.
Tiger Woods described it as 'a win for everyone'. It certainly is for the fans, as Koepka is an elite player and popular with a high percentage of golf followers, but several of his peers may see it a little differently.
A reported $5m contribution to charity is first up for Koepka, plus no bonuses from the FedExCup nor via the Player Equity Program, although the figures quoted over the potential loss of earnings are not realistic given his star quality.
When LIV Golf began its life, those who joined were told that coming back would be a hazardous journey with severe sanctions, if indeed there was a way back. Courts were visited and many dollars were spent as the legal eagles from both sides presented their case and invoices. That spell caused fractures in the game.
Fans were annoyed, mostly because the best players were not competing alongside each other as often as they would have desired. The PGA Tour's response was to considerably increase already impressive prize funds, introduce Signature Events, some with no halfway cut and limited fields.
I think we all understood this was to help them keep their top players from defecting, but two years on, the question is, is this sustainable in the years ahead? Only time will tell.
Intriguing times ahead for men's golf?
Koepka is a good fellow and a fine golfer but, in the coming weeks, I see further fractures should he perform the way we know he can.
What if, at the Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego, his first PGA Tour event back, he is tied for the lead going into the final round? What if he's up against someone who supported the PGA Tour, like a Jordan Spieth?
You would have on the first tee Koepka - who reportedly accrued $150m in his three-and-a-half years at LIV - joined by Spieth, who stayed loyal and has only what he won in that time. I'm not sure that will fit easily into human acceptance. Food for thought, anyway, and I see conversations and mixed opinions continuing throughout the season.
Make no mistake, the PGA Tour has been enormously successful since its inauguration. Charities have benefitted to the tune of over $2bn. Sponsors have been loyal and year by year, prize money has increased. Facilities have improved, as has television coverage, and their tournaments are spectator friendly.
Since the birth of LIV Golf, my own thoughts were there was a place for all three Tours, although an amalgamation with the DP World Tour could have been a huge success. A 'Rest of The World Tour' taking in Australia, South Africa, the Far East, Middle East and Europe - all the places the DP World Tour visits now - with the PGA Tour continuing as we know it.
Who knows what will happen in the next five years, but I believe there was an opportunity to enhance the sport, an opportunity that - so far - has eluded the powers that be.
Dubai opens the International Swing on the DP World Tour and that is currently under way at the Creek Golf Club. A wonderful place to open the season and is followed by the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, which has become one of the most recognised tournaments on the world calendar.
From humble beginnings in 1990, Emirates Golf Club has produced great champions amid the iconic infrastructure. It has been transformed from desert into a global hub for finance, tourism and innovation. The DP World Tour has grown alongside the United Arab Emirates and their strong relationship will continue for many years to come.
For the first time in I don't know how many years, I'm surviving January at home and the rain seems to be ever present. With both the PGA Tour and DP World Tour now up and running, we have much to look forward to.
The Players Championship is only two months away and three weeks after that, together we will enjoy the Spring splendour of Augusta National and the Masters. A week when this beautiful course lifts our hearts and gets your golfing season under way. The Azaleas can't come soon enough!
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