Everybody seems to know more than I do: LIV’s Brooks Koepka on talk about his PGA Tour return

SINGAPORE – While speculation has been swirling about LIV golfer Brooks Koepka’s potential return to the PGA Tour, the five-time Major champion insisted on March 12 that nothing is firmed up yet.

Eyebrows have been raised since 1992 Masters champion Fred Couples said on a sports radio talk show over a week ago that Koepka “really wants to come back” to the PGA Tour. In response, fellow golf great Phil Mickelson, who is also with LIV, labelled Couples’ comments as a “low-class jerk move”.

Ahead of LIV Singapore, Koepka told a press conference at the Sentosa Golf Club that nothing is certain.

“Everybody seems to have their own opinion, they don’t ask me. I’ve talked to Fred quite a bit but we don’t go into too much detail about what’s going on,” said the former world No. 1, who will be looking to retain his title at the March 14-16 LIV Singapore.

“As I’ve said before, I’m not in those rooms, I’ve got a contract obligation out here to fulfil and then we’ll see what happens.

“But I don’t know where I’m going, so I don’t know why everyone else does.”

The 34-year-old American, who joined LIV in a deal reportedly worth around US$100 million (S$133.5 million) in 2022 as the first wave of PGA Tour players switched to the breakaway series, stressed that his priority was improving his performances on the course.

He added: “Right now, I’m just focused on how do I play better? How do I play better in the Majors? How does this team (Smash GC) win?

“And then we’ll figure out next year and how to play better again. It’s the same thing, it’s just a revolving cycle. But I’ve got nothing, everybody seems to know more than I do.”

Koepka, whose LIV contract reportedly ends in 2025, is not the only one whose future has been in question.

At last week’s LIV Hong Kong, two-time US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau refuted claims that he wants to leave the circuit and return to the PGA Tour.

Efforts to end the feud that engulfed the sport since the arrival of the Saudi-backed series in 2021 have been ongoing since the tours announced a shock proposed merger in June 2023, with US President Donald Trump also getting involved in the negotiations recently.

While PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan credited Mr Trump for significantly bolstering progress in talks, two-time Major winner Justin Thomas said at a press conference ahead of the Players Championship on March 11 that players were “past the level of exhaustion” on the issue.

Meanwhile, Koepka played down his chances of winning the individual champion’s US$4 million prize in Singapore again.

When asked if returning to Sentosa’s Serapong Course gives him confidence, he said: “It’s just familiarity, I wouldn’t say confidence. Golf can change.

“You see guys all the time, they miss the cut and they go win the next week...

“I would say it’s nice to come to a course that you’re familiar with, but like I said, I think this is the best course we’ve played thus far, so this will actually really be the first one where we test where our games are at instead of it being more of a wedge-and-putting competition.”

Despite

winning twice in the 2024 LIV season

and finishing fifth in the overall standings, Koepka expressed disappointment at his Major displays.

His best performance came at the US Open and PGA Championship, where he ended tied-26th. At the British Open, he finished joint 43rd, while he was tied-45th at the Masters.

He believes his game has improved since 2024, but also noted more needs to be done ahead of the April 10-13 Masters, the first Major of the year.

Koepka said: “Typically, I’m a slow starter. I’ve never gotten off any season I’ve played professionally to a hot start. Usually it takes a couple rounds just to get going.

“But we’re running out of time here for Augusta, so something better change.”