- - Brooks Koepka Reveals How a Call to Tiger Woods Helped His Path Back to the PGA from LIV Golf Exile

Madison E. GoldbergJanuary 29, 2026 at 1:41 AM

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Brooks Koepka

Orlando Ramirez/Getty

Brooks Koepka revealed that Tiger Woods played a role in his reinstatement into the PGA

Koepka competed for LIV Golf from 2022 to December 2025

Koepka cited wanting to be closer to his family as part of his decision to leave LIV and return to PGA

Brooks Koepka is opening up about the transition back to the PGA after four years with LIV Golf.

In a press conference held at Torrey Pines Golf Course in California on Tuesday, Jan. 27, Koepka, 35, revealed that his first call post-LIV was to veteran pro-golfer Tiger Woods. He will soon make his PGA return at the Farmer's Insurance Open. “I’ve always had a good relationship with Tiger and I felt like that was what I wanted to do,” Koepka, 35, said. “Once I had the opportunity to, I guess, get reinstated on the PGA Tour, it was exciting and I kind of didn’t really know what to do.

“Tiger was the first person who came to mind. I didn’t know [PGA Tour CEO] Brian [Rolapp], I didn’t have a relationship with him obviously just because he’s pretty new. [Commissioner] Jay [Monahan] was going to be the next call," Koepka continued.

The pro golfer added, “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. I felt like that would be the most comfortable call for me.”

He expressed gratitude for being reinstated. "I'm excited for this new chapter, and grateful to be out here, and for Brian Rolap, Jay, Tiger, everybody that was able to get me out here. I'm super grateful for it and I'm excited," Koepka said.

Koepka made the decision to leave LIV Golf one year early, per The New York Post.

"I don't regret anything I do," Koepka began, citing his experiences with LIV Golf, a Saudi Arabian funded global professional golf tour, which he joined in 2022. "I've learned a lot. I've always enjoyed the ride no matter where I'm at. And I think that's one thing that you always learn from anything you're doing."

Koepka and LIV Golf announced they would "amicably" end his contract in December 2025, according to Sports Illustrated.

Koepka also cited that his desire to return to the PGA to be closer to his family. In October 2025, his wife, Jena Sims, shared that the couple had experienced pregnancy loss at 16 weeks.

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“A lot’s gone on over the past five, six months with my family,” Koepka said. “That played a big role into coming back. Then just having conversations with my wife, my team and being able to make that decision to come back was—I guess tough conversations, but it was what was best for me and best for my family. I think that was a decision that my wife, myself, everybody, my team thought that that was best as well.”

The Farmers Insurance Open will take place from Thursday, Jan. 29 to Sunday, Feb. 1.

on People

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”