Is Brooks Koepka still good enough to succeed on the PGA Tour?

If Brooks Koepka imagines that he is going to be able to turn up at the Farmers Insurance Open and quietly go about his business then he is for a shock.

Of course, Koepka is an intelligent man and will be fully aware that his first press conference is going to be pretty full on. He will know that he is going to be asked if a $5m charity donation, forfeiture of any payment from the FedEx Cup bonus scheme in 2026 and ineligibility for the PGA Tour’s player equality programme until 2030 is enough. All of this could cost him up to $80m but nobody will be feeling too sorry for a man who had a LIV Golf contract worth anywhere between $100m and $200m.

What Challenges Does Brooks Koepka Face Ahead of PGA Tour Return?

He cited wanting to spend more time with his family as one of his chief motivations for leaving LIV. He is most definitely going be asked how that can possibly happen if he plays anything approaching a full PGA Tour schedule - and you can be certain that in order to be allowed back he has given guarantees in this regard.

But all of that could be as nothing when compared with the resentment he is bound to experience from rank and file PGA Tour players. They will feel that special rules have been created for a golfer who is a five-time major champion and, quite frankly, they will also question his form. 

Is he actually currently good enough to justify his place on the PGA Tour? His LIV form last year would indicate that he is far from the golfer who once topped the world rankings. He is currently 244th. I always felt that Koepka was not a good fit for LIV and, ultimately, that is exactly how things have turned out.

He said this week: "I’ve got a lot of work to do with some of the players. 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."

I have been calling for a peace deal for what seems like an eternity because, like most of you, I want to see the world’s best players competing against one another. And at his best, Koepka is most definitely one of the world’s best.

Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau And Cam Smith Are Staying With LIV Golf

But let’s not get carried away with the idea that this is a peace deal. It is nothing of the sort. It seems to be a one-off. The PGA Tour left the door open for Jon Rahm, Cameron Smith and Bryson DeChambeau to follow Koepka. All of them were quick to slam that door firmly shut. I have to say that Smith’s defection to LIV has been no great loss. To be brutally frank, he has not been missed.

Rahm and DeChambeau are a different kettle of fish. They are players who move the needle, who you would pay to go and watch. But they have massive LIV contracts that have secured their futures.

Rahm said he "wished Brooks the best" but was "not planning to go anywhere". He said: "As far as I'm concerned, I'm focused on LIV for this year and hoping my team can repeat as champs."

DeChambeau pointed out he is "contracted through 2026" and said he is "so excited about this year", while Smith said he will be staying put.

Only players who have been absent from the PGA Tour for at least two years and have won The Players Championship or a major between 2022 and 2025 were eligible to return under the terms of the PGA Tour initiative.

That meant Rahm, DeChambeau and Smith were the only LIV players in a position to consider a move, with Phil Mickelson ruled out because he won the most recent of his six majors at the 2021 US PGA Championship.

In an open letter, PGA Tour chief executive Brian Rolapp wrote: "This is a one-time, defined window and does not set a precedent for future situations. Once the door closes, there is no promise that this path will be available again."

And they can always go and play on the DP World Tour. That is an ambiguity that continues to stick in my throat. 

Men's Professional Golf Remains a Mess

We will see a host of LIV golfers in action at the Dubai Desert Classic and, no doubt, throughout the coming season. You may well wonder how this can happen. Join the club.

You will remember that Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton appealed against their DP World Tour fines and suspensions. This was an action that allowed them to play when and where they wanted, earn ranking points and play for Europe in the Ryder Cup. 

The thing with an appeal is that at some point it needs to be heard and a final decision made. There are rumours that this could finally happen in March or April of this year. If it goes against Rahm and Hatton, as it is expected to do, it will close the door for them and their LIV colleagues to carry on cherry-picking where they want to play. It could also signal the end of their Ryder Cup careers.

The whole thing is an absolute mess.

I want to see Koepka playing his best golf again and reclaiming his place in the top 20 in the world rankings. I have always been a fan of the American, who is somebody who calls a spade a shovel. Most of all, I want to see an end to the division within professional golf but in truth that seems as far off as ever.