Brooks Koepka opens up on panic ahead of Genesis Scottish Open: "I couldn't figure it out"

Brooks Koepka has revealed the confusion over whether he was going to play in the Genesis Scottish Open left him in a state of panic. 

Last week, the American was listed as a withdrawal from the $9m Rolex Series event at The Renaissance Club. 

But tournament officials confirmed a few hours later the 36-year-old had been granted a sponsor's invite. 

That didn't stop Koepka worrying, though, and he said he spent last Sunday frantically calling his manager to find out what was going on. 

"I called my agent, Blake Smith, in a bit of a panic," he said. 

"Because I got a few text messages that I had withdrawn, and then I went on the ... what do we call it, like the PGA Tour, our little app?

"[It was] probably first time I used it in a while, since it got downloaded in my phone. 

"I didn't see any name, either, and I was in a little bit of a panic. 

"I knew he [Smith] was out in Vegas. It's 7.00am in Vegas. Probably not going to reach anybody. 

"There was a few, probably two hours of complete panic of what had gone on. I couldn't figure it out."

Koepka is part of a world-class field this week who are using the tournament as prep for next week's Open at Royal Birkdale. 

World number one Scottie Scheffler and Masters champion Rory McIlroy are among the notables taking part. 

Koepka is making his first appearance at The Renaissance Club and first appearance in Scotland's national open since 2015.

A posse of his former LIV Golf peers are also playing, with Jon Rahm making his first PGA Tour appearance since the 2023 Tour Championship. 

Rahm is eligible to take part as the tournament is co-sanctioned with the PGA Tour. 

Asked if Koepka believes this is the beginning of getting back to reality, he said: "I don't have an opinion either way. 

"I'm more focused on myself. 

"I think that's the one thing I think I've learned through all of this is if I can just focus on myself and be the best golfer, best father, husband, whatever, I'm doing more than I want to do right now, and being present with them and play good golf.

"I feel like that's all that matters to me. What happens to everybody else, I'm not so concerned with."

Koepka left LIV Golf in December 2025 despite having several months remaining on his contract. 

He re-joined the PGA Tour via a hastily enacted returning member programme. 

The five-time major champion later told of how issues in his personal life played a big role in his decision to leave the renegade tour. 

Last October, Koepka's wife, Jena Sims, revealed she had suffered a miscarriage at 16 weeks. 

Asked what he has been "most pleased with" since making his return, Koepka said: "This is probably going to come across a little selfish, but just the happiness that I have.

"Maybe a weight lifted off my shoulders. Kept it a secret for a little while. So it's not the easiest thing.

"But I just see the happiness. I look at I'm able to be around my son a lot more. Jena is able to be around and they are able to travel to a lot more events. Things like that, that stuff brings me happiness.

"Whether I play good or whether I play bad, I walk off the 18th green, my wife and son are standing right there and, it's cool.

"My son doesn't care if I shoot 80 or 65, he doesn't know the difference. 

"It's "Da-Da"; he goes that way and runs towards me. That's cool. 

"Having them around has been amazing, and takes a little bit of the pressure way from when you're playing.

"And then most disappointing thing? My putting.  

"I feel like last year I wasn't in the head space to actually play good golf, and now that everything is kind of cleared up and I'm in a better [frame of mind]. We all have that, right? It's life.

"Sometimes it's easy and sometimes it's difficult. 

"There's a lot of stuff, like I said, off the golf course, on the golf course, didn't matter. 

"Didn't feel like I could catch a break, as a player, as a person, as a family."