Brooks Koepka isn’t the type of player who usually admits to being scared. But this week at the ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic, the five-time major winner confessed that his return to the PGA Tour hasn’t been the smooth ride he expected. He admitted that stepping back into the Tour’s rhythm has actually made him feel an unfamiliar sense of nervousness.
“No, I’ve always wanted to be the best. The drive has always been there. Nothing has changed. It was just a different place to play,” Brooks Koepka said ahead of the Myrtle Beach Classic. “I knew the first couple of weeks were going to be an adjustment. Then there’s an adjustment to the way the golf courses are set up, too. So having to understand that and kind of go through and figure some things out, it’s just different.”
“Then coming back, you’re kind of — first two weeks were a little bit more nervousness than anything. Then it’s just a matter of getting comfortable with the golf courses, seeing how firm things are, the yardages they’re playing. It’s a little different. There is a little bit of adjustment there.”
The American pro parted ways with LIV Golf on a good note. Therefore, he never puts the league under the bus when answering any questions around returning to the PGA Tour. And that’s what he did this time, too, by saying that it was just a different place he was playing at.
But regardless, his performances since returning to the PGA Tour have shown the difference between the two organizations. The 36-year-old has had eight starts since returning. Of them, he made the cut in only 5. The three events where he missed the cut are the WM Phoenix Open, the Texas Children’s Houston Open, and the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
Even when he does make it to the weekend, he isn’t competing for the lead. At his last tournament, the RBC Heritage, he finished in 82nd place, dead last among the players who made the cut. This also aligns with his view of being nervous and gradually becoming comfortable.
He said the same thing about being nervous before his first event after returning. Ahead of the Farmers Insurance Open 2026, he admitted feeling nervous about the reception he would get from the media. However, he fell in love with how fans warmly greeted him back.
The American professional reiterated the same at the Valspar Championship 2026. He revealed that the first week was all about just getting it out of the way. Then, in the second week, he was disappointed for missing the cut. But after making a few changes, including a new putter, he said that it “started to click” at round one of the Cognizant Classic. Since then, he has tried building momentum.
This adjustment is required due to differences in course setups and environments between the two leagues. LIV Golf reportedly prefers softer course setups. On the other hand, the PGA Tour courses have firmer greens, windy coastal links, and a more competitive field. Besides that, LIV Golf’s events have short fields with no cuts. Transitioning through these differences does require some time.
What could help smooth this transition is playing in the most competitive fields in Signature Events, which the 9x PGA Tour winner cannot do.
Brooks Koepka on getting to play Signature Events
To get reinstated on the PGA Tour, Brooks Koepka had to let go of sponsor invites at Signature Events. But instead of getting frustrated about it, the PGA Tour pro took the high road.
“I knew this year was going to be challenging to even get in them [Signature Events]. I kind of thought maybe by around the US Open, but to know that I’m kind of knocking on the door already is a good thing. And just the answer to everything is play better, and you’re in,” he said at the Myrtle Beach Classic.
Brooks Koepka has been waiting as an alternate for many PGA Tour events, including the 2026 RBC Heritage. Koepka remembered a similar time back in 2014. He spent an entire day sitting in a parking lot in Tucson, Arizona, just hoping for a spot in a big tournament.
Brooks is being really patient about it all. He knows he won’t get into those big-money Signature Events right away, and he’s not trying to force it. Right now, he’s just focusing on getting better one day at a time. That calm mindset is helping him work through the nerves he felt when he first came back. For now, finding his rhythm on the course matters the most.
