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LIV GOLF ADELAIDE PREVIEW, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau during a press conference, PK, Pressekonferenz at the Grange Golf Club in Adelaide, Wednesday, April 19, 2023. ACHTUNG: NUR REDAKTIONELLE NUTZUNG, KEINE ARCHIVIERUNG UND KEINE BUCHNUTZUNG ADELAIDE SA AUSTRALIA PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xMATTxTURNERx 20230419001788171428
Imago
LIV GOLF ADELAIDE PREVIEW, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau during a press conference, PK, Pressekonferenz at the Grange Golf Club in Adelaide, Wednesday, April 19, 2023. ACHTUNG: NUR REDAKTIONELLE NUTZUNG, KEINE ARCHIVIERUNG UND KEINE BUCHNUTZUNG ADELAIDE SA AUSTRALIA PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xMATTxTURNERx 20230419001788171428
It’s been a month since the PGA Tour’s decision to welcome back LIV Golfers, but it’s still at the top of the headlines. That they were allowed to return without significant penalties continues to draw mixed reactions. Brooks Koepka’s seamless return has become the lightning rod for debate, with players publicly questioning whether justice has been served or sidestepped entirely.
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Matt Fitzpatrick didn’t mince words when discussing Brooks Koepka’s return, saying, “It’s obviously interesting. Brooks is obviously a good addition to the tour,” Fitzpatrick said. “These are guys that have had success for a long time and they’re great players. It’s only gonna add to the PGA Tour product. Obviously, a lot of guys are gonna have issues that they’ve come and, you know, they earn a lot of money with LIV and not really being penalized to come back, so that’s obviously sore.” But then comes the kicker, “I can’t do anything. So why would I waste my time?”
.@danongolfshow is LIVE in Scottsdale ahead of the @WMPhoenixOpen.@MattFitz94 and legendary caddie Billy Foster both join the show, and we’re previewing all the chaos to come at TPC Scottsdale. Tune in!https://t.co/CxWJ4Mhx9a
— Skratch (@Skratch) February 4, 2026
Fitzpatrick’s comments carry weight because they have shared the stage at the 2021 WGC-Workday Championship. He finished T7, while Koepka was tied near the top of the leaderboard.
Not only that, when Koepka left for LIV, Fitzpatrick said, “It’s everyone else’s decision; they can do what they feel is right for them, and I have no issues with that.”
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Nearly five years later, that history loops back on itself. Koepka is playing his second PGA Tour event at the 2026 WM Phoenix Open, following his return at the Farmers Insurance Open last week.
But the Tour’s returning player program does come with conditions, though perhaps not as severe as some would prefer. Koepka had to forfeit his PGA Tour equity funds for a 5-year period and give up earnings from conflicting LIV events. Additionally, returning players must make charitable contributions as part of their reinstatement. While these financial penalties exist, critics argue they pale in comparison to the millions they earned during their LIV tenure.
However, from a business perspective, the Tour’s decision is indeed proving to be a good one, as Fitzpatrick mentioned.
Golf Channel averaged 362,000 viewers on Thursday when Brooks Koepka returned at Torrey Pines, up 87% from 194,000 last year. ESPN averaged 381,000 viewers for the PGA Tour Live simulcast from 12-3 ET. These numbers make broadcasters pay attention and sponsors smile. Notably, adding a five-time major champion to any field instantly raises the competition level, too.
Notably, Fitzpatrick isn’t the only one who showed disappointment with the Tour’s decision. Wyndham Clark initially admitted feeling “torn,” acknowledging that Koepka’s return appeared unusually smooth.
However, Wyndham Clark offered full support, calling Brooks Koepka a good friend as they were on the USA team. He believes it’s great for the Tour and whatever helps the Tour helps everyone. Clark suggested Koepka might be the first of many returning players, even before Patrick Reed’s news came out.
Viktor Hovland, meanwhile, raised concerns about precedent. While acknowledging that better fields benefit the product, Hovland questioned what message the Tour is sending to future players. If someone can leave for a rival tour, get paid, and return without major consequences, what’s stopping others from doing the same?
The debate reveals a Tour at crossroads, balancing competitive integrity with commercial reality, player sentiment with fan demand. The viewership numbers suggest fans are voting with their eyeballs, regardless of the controversy.
Amid all the noise, Koepka still has to answer with his clubs.
Brooks Koepka’s rocky start at WMPO 2026
So far, Koepka’s return to Scottsdale hasn’t gone according to script. After generating massive buzz with his comeback, the five-time major champion struggled in Thursday’s opening round at TPC Scottsdale. He posted a four-over 75, which left him well behind the leaders and in a tie for 116th place.
The scorecard told a brutal story. Koepka made bogeys on holes 4, 7, 8, and 18, with only a single birdie on hole 9 to offset the damage. His iron play lacked the precision that defined his major championship victories, missing greens in regulation throughout the afternoon.
The contrast between the hype surrounding his return and his actual performance created an unwanted storyline. Fans who packed the grandstands hoping to witness vintage Koepka were left wanting more from the former World No. 1. The putter that’s bailed him out countless times went cold when he needed it most.
Still, it’s one round in a long tournament. Notably, Brooks Koepka has made a career out of peaking when it matters most, particularly in Majors. Whether he can turn things around at the notoriously wild WM Phoenix Open remains to be seen, but Friday’s round will test his championship mettle and ability to make the cut.
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