Jordan Spieth Cuts Through The Nonsense On Brooks Koepka’s PGA Tour Return

Brooks Koepka's seemingly immediate return to the PGA Tour after his LIV Golf exit at the end of 2025 has created a mixed bag of reactions. Some don't see the significant financial penalties Koepka has agreed to as harsh enough punishments for a guy who left the Tour for a reported $100 million, who now gets to slide back into the swing of things on the entity he abandoned in 2022.

Others, well, they just accept the situation as the new reality and aren't wasting time pointing fingers or holding some sort of grudge against Koepka for making a personal decision. Jordan Spieth is among that group of individuals.

Spieth sees Koepka's return to the Tour as a jolt in the right direction, and doesn't see the need for the five-time major winner to start apologizing to folks inside and outside the ropes.

"You’re not going to ask somebody to change to please other people," Spieth told the AP. "I don’t think he needs to play Monday pro-ams or walk along the range and shake everyone’s hand and say, ‘I’m sorry.’ He just comes back and plays really good golf. That’s good for everybody."

Spieth's approach to the situation centers around common sense, which is always refreshing in today's world.

Brooks Koepka will return to the PGA Tour at the end of January. Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Network 

Koepka left the PGA Tour for a LIV paycheck that will cover his family for generations, the Tour offered him a path back, and he took it. Those are the simple facts, although Koepka did admit he knows there are tough conversations he's going to have to have in the coming weeks with players, Tour employees, and certainly the media.

"The first week I’ll be a little bit nervous," Koepka explained. "There’s a lot going on than just golf. I’ll be glad to put the first week behind me — dealing with the media, dealing with the players, and then getting some of those tougher conversations. But I’m looking forward to it.

"Am I nervous? Yes. Am I excited? Yes. In a weird way, I want to have those conversations."

Koepka Gives Up Millions To Re-Join The Tour

The PGA Tour announced the introduction of a Returning Member Program on Monday, while specifically noting Koepka's return and the ramifications that come along with it.

Koepka has agreed to make a $5 million charitable contribution. He has also agreed to include a five-year forfeiture of potential equity in the PGA Tour's Player Equity Program, which estimates his potential losses to be approximately $50-$85 million. Koepka will also not receive any FedEx Cup bonus payment in 2026. 

He is exempt into all full-field events on the 2026 PGA Tour schedule, including The Players, and he isn't wasting too much time getting back into the swing of things. He will have to play his way into the higher-purse signature events on the calendar.

Koepka plans to return to the Farmers Insurance Open at the end of January while also teeing it up the following week at the WM Phoenix Open, a tournament he's won twice in his career.