SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA | While last year’s WM Phoenix Open champion Thomas Detry makes his debut at LIV Golf Riyadh this week, five-time LIV winner Brooks Koepka is back at TPC Scottsdale, the site of his first PGA Tour victory more than a decade ago.
With one start under his belt since returning to the PGA Tour from LIV – finishing T56 at last week’s Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines – Koepka is happy to be back in the raucous fan environment of the Phoenix Open.
“It’s a fun tournament to play,” Koepka said. “I enjoy the chaos. It’s fun. It can take you between takes. It gives you something to laugh about, or, no matter what’s going on, there’s always something to see.”
Koepka wants to build on his record in a tournament he has won twice (2015, 2021). In his last start at TPC Scottsdale in 2022, he finished T3 behind winner Scottie Scheffler.
“I love this place,” Koepka said. “I’ve obviously had some good results here. I’m excited to play on a golf course where I feel comfortable. Obviously winning twice helps. Anytime you win twice on a golf course, you feel pretty good and pretty comfortable.”
Dealing with harassment is one thing, but Koepka has been subject to criticism from PGA Tour players and others since joining LIV in 2022. Since returning to the tour in January through the returning membership program, the overall response from players has been positive, he said.
The Phoenix Open is known for its mix of traditional golf fans and spectators more interested in fun than golf. Fans tend to get rowdy and sometimes push the boundaries of what is acceptable spectator behavior. Occasionally a streaker can interrupt play or beer cups are thrown from the stands onto the famous par-3 16th hole.
More often, and somewhat consistently, fans harass the players.
“There are definitely some memorable ones, but I don’t think I can share them here,” Koepka said. “You spend a few years here and you see a lot of things.”
Dealing with harassment is one thing, but Koepka has been subject to criticism from PGA Tour players and others since joining LIV in 2022. Since returning to the tour in January through the returning membership program, the overall response from players has been positive, he said.
“I haven’t had a hard time [conversations]Koepka said. “Maybe just things where it’s ‘just glad to see you back, we’re glad you’re back’ kind of thing.”
One player grateful to see Koepka back is world No. 1 Scheffler. Teammates from the 2023 Ryder Cup team, they also made cameos together Happy Gilmore 2.
Koepka’s recent return to the PGA Tour, along with Patrick Reed’s expected return later this year, shows the tour is listening to its fans, Scheffler said.
“I think people want the best people to play together again,” he said. “So when it comes to great players like Brooks or Patrick Reed… it’s great to have those guys competing here, great for the tour, great for the fans and great for our sponsors.”
While Koepka is happy to be back on the PGA Tour, he is trying to stay out of politics. He wants to concentrate on his own game.
“I’m just focused on myself,” Koepka said. “I’m focused on how to play the best golf in the next four days. I’m not focused on anyone else.”
At this time, Koepka is not qualified to play in any of this year’s eight signature events, which offer bigger prizes and award more FedEx Cup points. Having played in only one tournament so far, he’s unlikely to qualify for the first two events, next week’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and next week’s Genesis Invitational, via the Aon Swing 5. If he doesn’t win the Phoenix Open (which would automatically qualify him), he’ll need to come close to victory to have any chance.
But as Koepka said last week, it’s fun for him to have to play himself in the signature events.
“I like the grind,” Koepka said. “I’ve always enjoyed it. I think it’s a new start for me, which is cool. It’s just a new chapter in my book, I guess. I’m excited about that. I feel like my game is in pretty good shape and I want to see where it is.”
Should he fail to qualify this week, Koepka will set his sights on the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches later this month. Since the Aon Swing 5 rankings carry over to that tournament, strong performances in both the Phoenix Open and Cognizant Classic would give Koepka a chance to qualify for next month’s Arnold Palmer Invitational, the third signature event of the season. He would also have a chance to qualify through the Aon Next 10, determined by the top 10 players who have not yet been eliminated from the FedEx Cup standings.
It will be tough, but Koepka has a comfort level at Phoenix and the Cognizant Classic at PGA National, played near his hometown of West Palm Beach, Florida.
“It’s just good to be back,” he said. “Good to see some golf courses that I’m familiar with and know roughly where to hit. I think that’s a big thing.”
© 2026 Global Golf Post LLC
#Koepka #likes #comfort #zone #Phoenix