Brooks Koepka’s Unscathed Return Upsets Viktor Hovland as PGA Tour Pro Refuses to Hold Back
LIV Golfers returning to the PGA Tour have received mixed reactions. On the one hand, it improves the product of the American circuit. On the other hand, reinstated players have suffered comparatively less harsh penalties than were once promised. Adding to the narrative is Brooks Koepka, already playing on the Tour. And players like Viktor Hovland are not exactly on board.
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“I think it just makes the products, the fields better. However, it does kind of put the TOUR in a tricky position now,” Hovland said ahead of the 2026 WM Phoenix Open on Tuesday. “You’ve said one thing for a long time and now we’re changing things. What precedent are you setting then to the future players now if I can go to a rival tour, get paid, and now seemingly come back again without the biggest consequences.”
“I don’t really have an opinion on that to be honest. That’s something the TOUR has to figure out. I’m sure there is a lot of people not going to be super happy about that, but at the end of the day I just want to compete against the best players in the world.”
When players left the PGA Tour for the PIF-backed rival league, the then-Commissioner Jay Monahan had laid down some strict rules. The legacy vs money storyline only divided the whole thing further. Through it all, the 28-year-old was one of the pro golfers who stuck with the PGA Tour.
In 2023, Hovland had a remarkable year. He won the 2023 FedEx Cup along with the $18 million bonus. Along with it, Hovland also won the Memorial as well as the second playoff leg of the BMW Championship. Considering his rising star power, there were rumors that LIV offered a lucrative paycheck to Hovland. The Norwegian, however, did not seem too interested.
He pointed out that LIV Golf’s format with no cuts did not appeal to him. He also wanted to test his golfing skills playing alongside 150-odd players. So, moving to the LIV Golf might have given him a big paycheck, but it would not have improved him as a quality golfer.
The latter holds true for many returning players, including Koepka. The veteran saw his golfing skills decline over the years. While he could still play in the Majors, he wasn’t playing with the top names all the time. He also saw his official standing in the golf world plummet, with his world ranking falling to No. 244.
At the same time, the return of players like Koepka would be beneficial for the PGA Tour for two reasons. One, the fields will become more competitive, adding an extra layer of excitement throughout the league. Two, the star power these entities hold will bring more eyes to the circuit. However, Hovland isn’t alone in questioning the PGA Tour.
Right after Koepka announced his divorce from LIV Golf, analyst Brandel Chamblee had already warned everyone. He argued that letting a defector like Koepka rejoin without facing any consequences would set a bad precedent. However, he has now already played his first event this season and has attracted more shock and disdain from the pros.
Hideki Matsuyama questions the PGA Tour as Koepka returns under the special reinstatement rule
Koepka left the PGA Tour back in 2022. But after showing signs throughout 2025, he finally parted ways with LIV Golf in December and applied for reinstatement under the PGA Tour. According to the original rule, where players will have to wait for at least a year before playing in the circuit if they returned from the rival league, many expected Koepka to wait as well. However, Brian Rolapp’s Returning Member Program brought Koepka back to the tour in less than a month.
Sharing how he was shocked to hear the news of Koepka’s return, he stated, “I thought, ‘Oh, he’s coming back…’ I guess they took that measure because he had achieved results at LIV. I think it’s pretty amazing that Brooks had the courage to make that decision.
“But I’m puzzled that the PGA didn’t explain anything to the players. At the very least, I didn’t know that such a rule was in place.” Throwing questions directly at the tour, the Japanese pro added, “While there has been a financial hit, what about the non-monetary aspects? What happened to the rule that players who participated in LIV were not allowed to compete [on the PGA Tour] for a year?”
The Returning Member Program is reportedly a one-time initiative introduced by the PGA Tour authority in January 2026. The step was taken particularly to provide a pathway back for elite golfers who previously joined unauthorized tours, like the LIV Golf.
While the Returning Member Program has given Koepka a path back to the tour, several other LIV Golfers, including the likes of Patrick Reed, Kevin Na, Pat Perez, and Hudson Swafford, will still have to wait to make a return. It’s because the initiative is strictly selective.
Golfers who have secured a win in a Major Championship or The Players Championship in the last four years will be considered eligible. Adding to that, the member must not have been affiliated with the PGA in the last two years. Koepka, luckily, checked all the boxes.
For now, he has played the Farmers Insurance Open last week, where he finished tied for 56th. However, the mere fact that he made a cut in his first event back is a good sign. Koepka will now be suiting up for the WM Phoenix Open this week.
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