Brooks Koepka is back on the PGA Tour. His first call wasn't to the commissioner, but to a golf legend: Tiger Woods.

Brooks Koepka is playing on the PGA Tour for the first time in four years. It’s all because of one person that the five-time major champion called right after leaving LIV Golf on 23 December 2025. 

During a conversation with the media at Torrey Pines, Koepka revealed, "I've always had a good relationship with Tiger. That was what I wanted to do once I had the opportunity to, I guess, get reinstated on the PGA Tour. It was exciting and I kind of really didn't know what to do. That was the first person that kind of came to mind."

But why didn’t he call anyone else? Brian Rolapp became the PGA Tour CEO in June 2025. He’s fairly new to the tour. Hence, Koepka doesn’t have a relationship with him.

Had Woods missed the call, Koepka would have called the incumbent commissioner, Jay Manohan, next. 

Additionally, Tiger Woods has now become an important entity on the PGA Tour’s Policy Board. He’s also a major voice on the Future Competitions Committee. With him on his side, Koepka’s return was finalized. 

“But I felt like Tiger was somebody that I have relied on in the past for questions and answers, and how to deal with things,” Brooks Koepka confessed. “I felt like that would be the most comfortable call for me."

In the end, Koepka came back under the Returning Member Program, with about $85 million in fines and penalties. He would have to earn his way into the signature events. And for now, he’s all set to tee it off at the Farmers Insurance Open. 

Why did Koepka return? Woods has addressed this already.

Tiger Woods Gets Honest About Brooks Koepka’s Return

Not too long ago, after a match between Jupiter Links GC and New York GC, Woods weighed in on Koepka’s return. He revealed that Koepka’s skills were the real reason why he was happy about his comeback. 

Woods said, “We get a probably top-three-of-his-generation player back that went to another tour, played over there, and was adamant about coming back here and got out early to come back.”

“Having another world-class player that these guys are going to try and beat, that's what the fans demanded. That's what the fans wanted for our fan initiative program, and I think we've addressed that.”

Now, Brooks Koepka carries the responsibility of proving he still belongs among golf’s best. But can he do that by winning the Farmers Insurance Open? 

Written by

Krushna Pattnaik

Edited by

Oajaswini Prabhu