So far, Brooks Koepka’s return to the PGA Tour hasn’t been as controversial as many expected.
Koepka was the first major name to jump ship from LIV, and he was allowed straight back onto the PGA Tour, given that some conditions were met.
The five-time major winner will not receive any money from the FedEx Cup bonus pool in 2026, and he is not able to join the Player Equity Program for the next five years, which could result in missing out on between $50 million and $85 million in potential equity earnings.
He will not be able to claim a sponsor’s exemption into any of the $20 million Signature events, and Koepka has agreed to make a $5 million charitable donation to recipients determined by Koepka and the PGA Tour.
Koepka happily accepted those terms, LIV players like Phil Mickelson wished him the best, and, for the most part, PGA Tour players seem happy to have him back. There are some exceptions to this, however, as Wydham Clark made his distaste for Koepka’s return very clear.
So what does two-time major winner Xander Schauffele think? He was asked for his opinion ahead of Koepka’s season debut at the Farmers Insurance Open.
How Xander Schauffele feels about Brooks Koepka’s PGA Tour return
All the PGA Tour’s biggest stars, including Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler, have been singing off the same hymn sheet about Koepka’s return. They have welcomed him back with open arms, and Schauffele is no different.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the Farmers Insurance Open, he said, “Yeah. I mean, it’s good. I mean, I don’t know Brooks like crazy well, but I’ve always gotten along with him. I think he wanted to be back, and I think the Tour found a way to pave a path for himself and a few others.
“I haven’t seen him or spoken with him yet, but I’m sure I’ll see him either tomorrow or throughout the week back on the full circuit. I think it helps our Tour.
“Yeah, I mean, I said this, someone asked me this question during one of my TGL matches, I said it really just depends on who you’re asking and sort of how you’re looking at it, but from my shoes, I feel fortunate to be kind of where I’m at, and it helps, it helps bolster the Tour.
“It’s not going to make the Tour weaker having a five-time major just want to come back and play.”
If all these players are to be believed, they want what is best for the tour above all else. There’s no bitterness that they turned down hundreds of millions to remain loyal, just for Koepka to come back.
Brooks Koepka says what players texted him when he returned to the PGA Tour
Koepka’s decision to rejoin the PGA Tour was family-oriented. He said he wanted to spend more time with his family after what had been a devastating year.
In 2025, Koepka’s wife, Jena Sims, lost a pregnancy at 16 weeks, so naturally, he wanted his wife and his son, Crew, to travel with him during parts of the PGA Tour season.
That said, Koepka explained that players on both the PGA Tour and LIV understood his decision and supported it.
Koepka said, “Nobody’s picked my brain. I’ve got a few text messages from guys that 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 wives have communication there.
So I think everybody fully understands the situation that we were in, maybe more than everybody else. I don’t know how much has been actually publicized. Yeah, they understood that and they just wished me the best and to always do what’s best for you.”
Koepka’s family will be watching him from the galleries at Torrey Pines, and ultimately, that’s where he finds his joy.
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