PGA Tour exec "getting an earful" from players at Sony Open after Brooks Koepka return

Brooks Koepka's return to the PGA Tour appears to have divided opinion.

At least that is word on the ground ahead of this week's Sony Open, the first event of the 2026 PGA Tour season. 

Koepka, 35, has been allowed to make a shock return to the PGA Tour this month just weeks after quitting LIV Golf on 23 December. 

The five-time major champion left LIV Golf with one year left on his $100m contract, which he signed in the summer of 2022. 

The big-hitting American won five times on LIV Golf and he acted as the captain of Smash GC. 

Koepka's reps cited family as the main reason for him wanting to depart the LIV Golf League. 

But three weeks on and Koepka has been let back on the PGA Tour this month as a result of a newly-created Returning Membership policy. 

The decision was made by the PGA Tour's newly-appointed CEO Brian Rolapp, who recently replaced Jay Monahan at the helm. 

GolfMagic has written an in-depth feature on Koepka's return, listing the five key things you need to know about his PGA Tour return. 

Many analysts considered Koepka would have to serve a one-year suspension following his last LIV Golf event in August.

But that's not the case and under new PGA Tour rules, Koepka is eligible to make an instant return officially starting in two weeks. 

The professional game might still be fractured, but today's PGA Tour update is the first major solution for change moving forwards. 

Other LIV Golf stars Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Smith will also be eligible to follow suit should they wish —  but they will need to apply under Returning Membership before 2 February, two days before the start of the 2026 LIV Golf season. 

Rahm has allegedly already responded. 

LIV Golf has since issued a statement after learning Koepka has returned to the PGA Tour. 

Koepka, meanwhile, took to social media to thank his fans and those that have supported his PGA Tour comeback after four years. 

The former World No.1 also confirmed he will be teeing it up at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines at the end of this month.

He will also play the following week at the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale, where he won the first of his nine career PGA Tour titles.

But back to the top of the story, and while plenty of players are happy to see Koepka return to the PGA Tour, it would appear there are many who are extremely frustrated he's been let back so easily and quite so soon. 

At least according to one of Golfweek's contacts on the ground at Waiʻalae Country Club for this week's season opener in Hawaii. 

Jason Gore, who recently transitioned from a PGA Tour player to an executive role becoming the PGA Tour's Executive Vice President & Chief Player Officer, is apparently "getting an earful" from a number of players at the Sony Open. 

"I’m not at the Sony Open this year but I talked to someone who is and said more players on their phones than hitting balls at the range," revealed Golfweek's Schupak. 

"Lots of chatter about Brooks coming back. Jason Gore, the player turned Tour exec, I’m told is getting an earful." 

It remains to be seen exactly how happy or sad the majority of PGA Tour players are about the return of Koepka, but Rory McIlroy has already confirmed he is most certainly a fan. 

McIlroy told The Overlap earlier this month he had no issue with Koepka, or any LIV player, making a return to the PGA Tour. 

As far as the World No.2 is concerned, they have "paid their consequences" in terms of the damage to their reputations.

Ludvig Aberg is also complimentary of Koepka's return to the PGA Tour. 

Aberg said: "Speaking on behalf of players, we all want to play against the best players. Brooks Koepka is certainly one of them with his track record as a five-time major champion, and having him back on the PGA Tour is definitely going to help us play better golf." 

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