Brooks Koepka made his anticipated return to the PGA Tour on Thursday, playing in this week's Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines. It is the first time Koepka has played a non-major PGA Tour event in four years. He previously took the bag to join the LIV Golf tour.
He may be one of the most accomplished players on the PGA Tour, but that does not mean he will simply come back and dominate.
During the first round, Koepka struggled to get much going, signing for a 1-over 73. That is currently tied for 101st out of the 147 golfers in the field, with a few left on the course.
The five-time major champion played mostly steady golf. He opened his day on the back nine of Torrey Pines' South Course, carding three straight pars before dropping a shot on the par-5 13th. He got that shot back on 18 with his only birdie of the day.
Koepka then bogeyed the par-4 4th before paring his way in from there. He closed the day with a solid up-and-down on the par-5 9th, finishing with a solid putt.
Brooks Koepka birdies the last for an opening 1 over par 73 to be outside the top 100 in his first round back on the PGA Tour
— Flushing It (@flushingitgolf) January 29, 2026
The three-time PGA Championship victor is the first elite player to make the jump from LIV Golf back to the PGA Tour. Koepka let his contract with the Saudi-backed circuit lapse, and announced his intentions to return to the States.
Players who made that type of decision were supposed to face a one-year suspension upon return. But the tour waived that in this case, likely being overjoyed that one of the best golfers on the planet had switched sides yet again.
Brooks Koepka is not alone, either. Earlier this week, it was revealed that fellow major champion Patrick Reed is also leaving LIV. He, however, must wait until August to make his PGA Tour return.
