After 4 years, Brooks Koepka is making his official return to the PGA Tour. After spending years on LIV Golf, Koepka walks on the PGA Tour with a mind prepared for all the “told you so” comments. But throughout this, he plans on remaining unfazed. Because Brooks Koepka actually enjoys heckling.

“Oh, yeah. Are you kidding?” he said when asked if he had ever been heckled. “I don’t know, I enjoy it. It’s fun. It’s sports.”

This, as per the 5-time major champ, makes golf “cool.” Sometimes, it locks him and makes him play better, which is actually the “fun” part he refers to. Koepka clarifies that he doesn’t want such intervention all the time, but he likes that people care about him.

“I just cared about my perception, what people thought, or what the fans thought.”

This line shifts the entire conversation around the American. Koepka, for all the bravado that he has long displayed on the course, actually deeply cares about such things. This was the same guy who openly said in 2018 that he doesn’t need to “kiss anyone’s butt” for them to like him.

Now, Koepka is admitting that while it’s easy to feel grounded among players and caddies, the wider gallery – the strangers watching him – had often unsettled him. Especially since he joined the rival camp.

Back in May 2025, the PGA Championship witnessed one such moment. As Koepka walked past a hospitality tent with fellow players Shane Lowry and Rickie Fowler, a fan heckled him with a pointed jab.

“That’s what guaranteed money does to you, Brooks.”

The comment was a clear reference to Koepka’s $100 M deal that he signed with LIV Golf in 2022. Koepka, upon hearing this, snapped back immediately, before walking on.

What made this entire scenario notable is Koepka’s performance at Quail Hollow that year. He was struggling throughout the two days, eventually missing the cut with rounds of 75 and 76. This was the same event he had won thrice – in 2018, 2019, and then in 2023. But this time, he ended his rounds with a massive 9 over par. Hence, that particular comment did make many wonder if the security of LIV money had dulled Koepka’s sharp edges.

Nine months later, now that he is back on the PGA Tour after agreeing to pay a hefty fine of $85 million, the jab doesn’t age well. But Brooks Koepka didn’t necessarily have to worry about a negative perception among his fans. Because the kind of reception he recieved upon his return was perhaps something he had never experienced before.

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A warm homecoming for Brooks Koepka

“I care about what everybody’s thinking out here,” Brooks Koepka says further in his presser. “Just trying to be as good of a person and good of a player as I can be.”

He didn’t have to put in much effort for the same. Spending around 4 years on the Saudi-backed league had instilled a fear that his presence at Torrey Pines wouldn’t be appreciated by many. But all those thoughts proved to be unfounded. Instead of heckling, Koepka experienced overwhelming support.

The moment he walked on the course, there were chants of “Welcome back, Brooks!” from all sides. The crowd followed him on every hole, and they grew in size as the day unfolded. At the end of the day, Koepka was swarmed with fans requesting autographs and photos. Despite ending his round with a 1 over 73 and standing T102 on the standings, the fans refused to leave his side. This entire scene stood in stark contrast with the May 2025 incident at the PGA Championship.

“I think I’ve fallen back in love with the game…the fans were awesome today,” said the 5-time major champ.