DP World Tour clears the path for LIV players’ return, family joy in Oban, Fox’s graphic errors and Fleetwood’s new look. The Back Nine.
Brooks Koepka has successfully completed his first week back on the PGA Tour. Finishing T56 at Justin Rose’s victory at the Farmers Insurance Open was not a highlight, but in this case, the journey was the goal. Koepka started with a one-over-par 73, followed by a 68 in round two to make the cut, and completed the weekend at Torrey Pines with rounds of 73 and 70. Mission accomplished. Already on Friday after making the weekend cut, the five-time major winner spoke about falling in love with the game again. That was missing during his time with LIV: the competition. The tough battles. Fighting for a three-meter putt even twenty shots behind the leader. But every stroke counts, especially when a hundred or more players share the same goal.
However, elsewhere, Koepka’s comeback is still stirring controversy, with some seeing it as too easy and smooth. Not only Wyndham Clark. In an interview with Golf Digest Japan before the Farmers, Hideki Matsuyama spoke unusually openly. Considering his normally polite demeanor, one could say the 2021 Masters champion is furious.
“I have nothing against Koepka. I actually think it’s quite impressive that Brooks had the courage to make this decision and terminate his LIV contract.”
Hideki Matsuyama
Matsuyama, who declined a nine-figure offer from the rival circuit in 2022 partly due to consequences for his PGA Tour future, said he was shocked upon hearing about the LIV star’s return. “I thought: Wait, he can just come back like that? What happened to the idea that players who joined LIV couldn’t play on the PGA Tour for one year? And now there’s a Returning Member Program?”
He went on, saying he was unaware of such a rule: “I wonder why the PGA Tour didn’t explain the situation to players beforehand? But we’re just supposed to play and have no say.” Matsuyama ultimately finished eleventh at La Jolla, well ahead of Koepka. Whether that eased his frustration remains unknown.
DP World Tour: Penalties Lifted for LIV Players?
The DP World Tour is reversing its sanctions against defecting members. From the 2026 season, no penalties will be imposed on players participating in unsanctioned tours like the LIV Golf League. According to Flushing It, while pros like Patrick Reed, Jon Rahm, and Tyrrell Hatton—who have appealed their fines—must still pay accumulated penalties through 2025 (Rahm owes over three million dollars), this change opens the door