SAN DIEGO — When Brooks Koepka was launched from the ultimate 12 months of his contract with Saudi-owned LIV Golf, the primary particular person he known as was Tiger Woods. Three weeks later, the PGA Tour made his approach again beginning at Torrey Pines.
Koepka mentioned Tuesday he cannot await the week to be over due to the eye he is getting. The gratitude of returning to the PGA Tour comes with a level of nervousness that the five-time main champion hardly ever experiences. In different phrases, what different individuals take into consideration you.
“It feels a bit of totally different,” he mentioned forward of the Farmers Insurance coverage Open, his first non-major event on the PGA Tour since dropping within the Match Play quarterfinals in March 2022. “I am positively a bit of nervous this week as a result of I simply obtained again. However I really feel good. I am so grateful to be again.”
Koepka cited the should be nearer to his household as the primary cause he needed to go away LIV. His spouse introduced in early October that she had miscarried at 16 weeks.
Woods was partly chargeable for Koepka’s return, and different player-managers on the PGA Tour Board of Administrators additionally labored with CEO Brian Rolup to plan the return of chosen gamers. Koepka was LIV’s first defector, however the worth was excessive.
He has made a $5 million charity donation (a choice has not but been made concerning the tour), however he won’t obtain a FedEx Cup bonus this 12 months and won’t have entry to PGA Tour inventory for 5 years, which the tour estimates is price greater than $50 million.
He additionally can not compete within the $20 million signature occasion till he qualifies on his personal.
“I feel it is a contemporary begin for me, which is nice,” Koepka mentioned. “I feel that is simply one other chapter in my e book, and I am enthusiastic about that. I really feel like my sport is in fairly good condition, so I need to see the place it’s. Clearly this week is a bit of totally different. I need to get by means of this week and really feel like I can begin taking part in golf once more.”
Woods by no means thought-about going to LIV and despised these gamers — “They turned their backs on what allowed them to get thus far,” he mentioned a month after LIV started — and now he is the main participant’s voice on the PGA Tour Board of Administrators.
Koepka mentioned he has all the time had a great relationship with Woods. Furthermore, he had by no means met Mr. Rolup, who had solely been with the corporate for six months. Commissioner Jay Monahan, who attended Koepka’s wedding ceremony a month earlier than Koepka left for LIV in 2022, would have been subsequent on the checklist.
“I felt like Tiger was somebody I had all the time relied on for Q&A and the best way to deal with issues. I felt like that was in all probability probably the most comfy name for me,” Koepka mentioned.
Woods was certainly one of a number of gamers who supported the choice to carry Koepka again, saying it might make the PGA Tour stronger and in the end improve the worth of the gamers receiving fairness. “It is a win for everybody,” Woods mentioned earlier this month.
Koepka’s fellow coach Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1 participant on this planet, additionally supported the choice.
“I feel it is good to get guys again on tour who need to get again on tour,” Scheffler mentioned final week. “Brooks has had a want to get again on tour. Over the previous few months, he has actually had a powerful want to get again on tour, and I am glad Brian, the group and the board have been capable of finding a path for him to return again and begin competing right here once more.”
Whether or not at Torrey Pines or subsequent week on the Phoenix Open, it stays to be decided how golf followers will obtain the participant who will go away the PGA Tour after the 2022 U.S. Open and be part of a rival league that has been paying exorbitant signing bonuses. Koepka as soon as admitted that he was “9 figures” tall.
“Perhaps I am a bit of nervous to see how the followers will react,” Koepka mentioned. “I hope they’re excited. I hope they’re joyful that I am out right here.”
Koepka could not bear in mind Monday the final time he performed in a non-major event. At the same time as I pulled into the car parking zone, I used to be so dazed that I could not bear in mind who I noticed first. There was additionally a hug between Billy Horschel and Harris English on the observe area.
He then headed to the South Course to play the again 9. He performed with rookie Marcelo Lozo. Becoming a member of them on the 18th tee have been Akshay Bhatia and Matty Schmidt, neither of whom have been on the PGA Tour when Koepka left. When Koepka left, almost half of Wednesday’s Professional-Am area did not actually have a PGA Tour card.
“We now have a variety of new faces,” Koepka mentioned. “However I’m excited to satisfy them and really feel like I’m a part of the tour.”
Returning to the PGA Tour amid massive adjustments. Woods heads the Future Competitors Committee, which is restructuring the schedule so that each occasion appears like an enormous occasion. Excluding the 4 majors, there are 11 tournaments with whole prize cash of greater than $20 million.
Are you higher than when he left?
“Two days left,” Koepka mentioned with a smile.
That is what Justin Rose mentioned final week when requested about Koepka’s return.
“We now have all benefited from this disruption in a roundabout way,” Rose mentioned. “It is good for tour gamers within the sense that the equity of the tour and the prize cash provides us a bit of bit extra leverage in our route.
“However we want a premium product,” he mentioned. “And that is the primary time somebody transferring the needle is coming again to us.”
