‘I was shocked’: Masters champion doubts Brooks Koepka’s return to PGA Tour

PGA Tour veteran Hideki Matsuyama started his season strong at the Sony Open. But at this week’s Farmers Insurance Open, the 2021 Masters champion will face a formidable new opponent: Brooks Koepka.

While Matsuyama has no personal beef with Koepka, he does have a beef with the PGA Tour for allowing Koepka to return from LIV Golf, at least in the manner he did.

Matsuyama shared his criticism of Koepka’s quick return to the Tour in one new interview with Golf Digest Japan.

Hideki Matsuyama casts doubt on PGA Tour over Koepka’s comeback

Koepka was allowed to return to the PGA Tour through the newly established Returning Member Program. The program has specific rules that allow for an accelerated PGA Tour return for specific high-profile LIV golfers.

Only Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith meet this criteria. With the deal set to close on February 2, Koepka is the only one who has accepted it (although Patrick Reed’s departure from LIV could inspire others to follow Koepka’s lead).

Even Koepka admitted he was surprised by how quickly everything came together after splitting from LIV in late December. Normally, former PGA Tour players who joined LIV would have to serve a one-year ban when they rejoin the Tour.

Therefore, the Koepka news came as a surprise to Matsuyama, as he revealed in his interview with Golf overview Japan.

“I was shocked when I heard about it in the news… I thought, ‘Oh, he’s coming back…’ I think they took that measure because he had achieved results at LIV,” Matsuyama said in translated comments.

Matsuyama showed no animosity toward Koepka, saying of his departure from LIV, “I think it’s pretty amazing that Brooks had the courage to make that decision.”

However, Matsuyama also revealed that he was “baffled” by the situation, especially the lack of communication from the PGA Tour regarding the Returning Member Program.

“But I’m surprised the PGA Tour hasn’t explained anything to the players. At the very least, I didn’t know such a rule existed,” he said.

He then explained his confusion about why Koepka was allowed to bypass the one-year ban from playing on LIV Golf.

“While there has been a financial hit, what about the non-monetary aspects? What happened to the rule that players participating in LIV were not allowed to compete [on the PGA Tour] for a year?” Matsuyama said. “I think about that more.”

The issue is somewhat personal for Matsuyama, who turned down a lucrative offer from LIV Golf in 2022, in part because of the impact it would have on his PGA Tour future. Wyndham Clark, who also turned down an offer from LIV Golf, made similar criticism of Koepka’s return last week.

He continued his criticism of the PGA Tour, saying, “After all, we are the players. The PGA Tour makes the decisions. It doesn’t matter what anyone says.”

The Patrick Reed LIV exit differs from Koepka’s PGA Tour path

Matsuyama’s comments to Golf Digest Japan came before news broke of another monumental change in the PGA Tour-LIV Golf battle. On Wednesday, Patrick Reed announced that he would also be leaving LIV Golf.

While Matsuyama has yet to speak about Reed’s potential return to the Tour, Reed’s path back to the PGA Tour might be more pleasant for the Masters champion.

Reed will be eligible to play in PGA Tour events in August of this year, one year after his last LIV start at LIV Golf Indianapolis in August 2025. He will be eligible for full status for the 2027 PGA Tour season.

That means the 2018 Masters champion can accept waivers from sponsors in August to play in PGA Tour events for the rest of the season, or compete as a former champion.

Reed also plans to play the DP World Tour this year. If he finishes in the top 10 in the season-long Race to Dubai standings, he will earn a full PGA Tour card for 2027. His big win at the Dubai Desert Classic last week will go a long way toward achieving that goal.

Thanks to his third place at the Masters last year, he is also qualified for all four major championships in 2026.

3 more LIV Golf pros reinstated to PGA Tour

Later Wednesday, the PGA Tour announced that three other former LIV Golf players had been reinstated to the PGA Tour. Those players are It must be so., Pat Perez And Hudson Swafford.

The conditions for their PGA Tour returns are not all the same, but they follow Reed’s more closely than Koepka’s.

All three players have “outstanding disciplinary offences” that will need to be addressed following their reinstatement.

Swafford and Perez, both three-timers PGA Tour The winners will receive a one-year ban and will be eligible to play in PGA Tour-sanctioned events beginning January 1, 2027. Perez, who turns 50 in March, has the PGA Tour Champions circuit in his sights.

As for Na, it’s not clear when he’ll get the green light to play in Tour events again. According to the PGA Tour, he is currently facing disciplinary action.