When Brooks Koepka was asked Tuesday about the ongoing PGA Tour-LIV battle, he answered every question in a way that would make a swing coach proud.
He was consistent.
When it came to “politics” during a press conference two days before Koepka’s first PGA Tour start since announcing earlier this month that he would rejoin the circuit he left for a four-season stint at LIV, Koepka didn’t budge much.
Reporter: Should the PGA Tour invite more players from LIV?
Koepka: “I’m two days into this. I’m not trying to get into the politics of it all. I’m just glad I have this opportunity and I have to take advantage of it. That’s all I’m really focused on and getting back into golf.”
Reporter: Can the battle for the PGA Tour and LIV be settled?
Koepka: “I have no idea. I have not participated in the conversations on either side. It is beyond my control and my job is to go play golf on Thursday and hit the ball.”
On December 23, LIV and Koepka announced he was leaving the league he joined in 2022 – and on January 12, the PGA Tour said Koepka was returning through its newly created “Returning Member Program,” a policy also open to three other LIV players (Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith) because of their major championship wins over the past four years.
On Tuesday, Koepka said his family life was one of the biggest factors in his decision. And that was part of his answer when asked if anyone from LIV had contacted him to discuss his return process.
“No one picked my brain,” Koepka said. “I’ve gotten a few text messages from guys who are still on LIV, they’re reaching out. I think they understood the situation for what we were going through with my family, whether the women there have communication. So I think everyone understands the situation we were in maybe better than everyone else. I don’t know how much has actually been published.
“Yes, they understood that and they wished me nothing but the best and that I would always do what was best for you.”
Those players, he said, will also be what he misses most about LIV.
Rory McIlroy weighs in on Brooks Koepka’s return, PGA Tour changes
By means of:
Dylan Dethier
“I think maybe we’re just around the guys because we’re not — everyone’s not together all the time,” Koepka said. “We’re all one big traveling circus, right? That’s kind of what it is. It’s fun and I’m going to miss some of those guys because I see those guys pretty much week to week. The relationships I’ve built with those guys and not seeing them all the time, that’s going to be a lot different.”
“But at the same time, there are a lot of people here that I haven’t seen in four years and I don’t have to be around them as much, so I’m excited about that too.”
Koepka was also asked about his recent swoon in the majors – and whether LIV’s schedule played a role in it.
Since 2023, LIV has played 14 events per year. Here are Koepka’s key results on that stretch:
–2023: tied for second (Masters), first (PGA Championship, his fifth major title), tied for 17th (US Open), tied for 64th (Open Championship)
–2024: tied for 45th (Masters), tied for 26th (PGA Championship), tied for 26th (US Open), tied for 43rd (Open Championship)
–2025: missed cut (Masters), missed cut (PGA Championship), tied for 12th (US Open), missed cut (Open Championship)
“It doesn’t matter, preparation,” Koepka said. “If you don’t play well those weeks, I mean, it’s hard to make a major as No. 1, and then to win one is extremely difficult. Everything has to go your way, the bounces have to be right, you have to have a bit of luck.”
“If you just don’t play, I mean, I just didn’t play well last year. I don’t think maybe at the end of ’24 I just didn’t play that great. So it’s hard to… I’m not going to use an excuse for anything other than I’m the one who owns the club, I’m the one who has to execute everything and I just didn’t do a good enough job.”
“>
#Brooks #Koepkas #answers #PGA #TourLIV #battle #theme