Brooks Koepka decided to leave LIV Golf and return to the PGA Tour in late 2025. What followed created a divide in the golf world, with some supporting his return to the PGA Tour while others opposed it. It’s been over three months since the fiasco, and while that divide has declined, it still stands. Tom Watson has been against the idea, and the 5-time major champion just responded to his view.

“Yeah, I mean, I would have to look at exactly what he said. Just going off your summary, everybody is entitled to their own opinion. That’s fine if he thinks that. He’s not the first person that’s thought that. So yeah, it is what it is. I’m just grateful to be out here,” Brooks Koepka said in response to Watson’s comments. “The people that make those decisions let me out here. If you’re going to get the opportunity to come back out you’re going to take it.”

After parting ways with LIV Golf, Brooks Koepka applied for reinstatement on the PGA Tour on January 9, 2026. Brian Rolapp approved his application under the new Returning Member Program.

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“When I was a child, I always dreamed about competing on the PGA Tour, and I am just as excited today to announce that I am returning to the PGA Tour,” Koepka said in a statement after his reinstatement on the PGA Tour.

The program was a carefully curated one-time pathway for certain major winners, including Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cameron Smith, apart from Koepka. However, it didn’t come without some harsh penalties. Koepka agreed to a five-year forfeiture of player equity, a $5 million charity donation, no FedEx Cup bonus this year, and earning entry into signature events.

Tom Watson criticized the PGA Tour’s decision during the 2026 Masters. On April 9, 2026, after serving as an Honorary Starter alongside Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, the 76-year-old eight-time major winner stated that LIV defectors like Koepka and Patrick Reed should face lifetime bans.

“I thought the LIV players, when they left, they were supposed to be banned for life. If I was commissioner, that’s what I ​would do.” Watson said.

His claim was that when they joined the Saudi-backed league, they broke the sponsors’ trust. Watson even accused the Tour of reneging on promises to loyal players, saying financial penalties were insufficient.

Brooks Koepka declined to say anything specific about Tom Watson, as he hadn’t heard or read his exact comments. However, he did acknowledge that Watson was not the only one who thought that. There are many others who have had similar views.

Wyndham Clark, for instance, expressed conflicted feelings about the 9x PGA Tour winner’s return. The 2023 U.S. Open champion said he likes Koepka and sees value for the Tour. But he also felt frustrated that the reinstated PGA Tour pro could “have his cake and eat it too,” reflecting that he got the financial benefits by switching to LIV Golf and can also be back to compete at the highest level in professional golf.

The news also shocked Hideki Matsuyama, who reportedly turned down a LIV Golf deal and remained loyal to the PGA Tour. He believed that it’s pretty amazing that Brooks Koepka made the courageous decision. However, he also revealed that the situation left him puzzled.

“But I’m puzzled that the PGA Tour didn’t explain anything to the players. At the very least, I didn’t know that such a rule was in place,” he said.

While there were those against him, several supported his return, too. Rory McIlroy, who was initially completely against LIV Golf, supported Koepka’s return, and he was not the only one. And it is not the only aspect where the 5x major champion is getting support.

Tony Finau supports Brooks Koepka’s run at the 2026 Masters

Many people do not consider Brooks Koepka as a potential winner of the 2026 Masters. That’s likely because of his current form.

After returning from LIV Golf, the American professional has had 6 starts on the PGA Tour. Of these, he has made the cut in only 4. He missed the cut at the 2026 WM Phoenix Open and the recently concluded 2026 Texas Children’s Houston Open. In the 4 events where he made the cut, his best finish was a T9 at the 2026 Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches, and his worst was T56 at the 2026 Farmers Insurance Open.

But despite that, Finau believes that Brooks Koepka could be there on Sunday and even win at Augusta National.

“I think we’re going to see him play some great golf. I would not be surprised at all if on Sunday, Brooks is wearing a Green Jacket. He passes the eye test for me,” Finau said in a conversation with Trey Wingo.

Tony Finau and Brooks Koepka share a good bond and have played many practice rounds together recently. The 6x PGA Tour winner is saying this based on his experience playing with him during those practice rounds.

The 5x major winner has had a good run at Augusta National until the midway point. He has carded rounds of 72-69 to finish 3-under at the end of Round 2. He has made the cut comfortably and will be looking to carry the momentum of the second round on Saturday, too.

As Tony Finau backs Brooks Koepka to make a strong push at Augusta, the focus slowly shifts from off-course debates to his performance where it matters most. Yet, even as he builds momentum at the 2026 Masters, the lingering divide sparked by voices like Tom Watson continues to shadow his return.