DP World Tour paves way back for LIV players, family joy in Oban, spot the Fox errors and Fleetwood’s new attire. The Back Nine.
Brooks Koepka has survived his first week back on the PGA Tour with dignity. A T56 finish at Justin Rose’s victory in the Farmers Insurance Open might not be a standout performance, but in this case, the journey was the goal. Koepka started with a one-over-par 73, played a 68 in round two to make the cut, and closed the weekend at Torrey Pines with rounds of 73 and 70. Mission accomplished. By Friday, after making the weekend cut, the five-time major champion mentioned he had fallen in love with the game again. That was what he missed at LIV: the competition, the tough fight. Battling for a three-meter putt even when 20 shots behind the lead. Every shot counts, especially when a hundred or more players share the same goal.
Elsewhere, knives are still being sharpened over Koepka’s comeback, which some perceive as too easy, too smooth. Not just Wyndham Clark. In a conversation with Golf Digest Japan, Hideki Matsuyama also spoke unusually candidly ahead of the Farmers. Considering his usual polite reserve, one could say: the 2021 Masters champion is furious.
“I have nothing against Koepka. I actually find it pretty impressive that Brooks had the courage to make this decision and cancel his LIV contract.”
Hideki Matsuyama
Matsuyama said he was shocked to hear about the LIV star’s return, having declined a nine-figure offer from the rival circuit in 2022 partly due to the implications for his future on the PGA Tour. “I thought: Wait, he can just come back like that? What happened to the idea that players who joined LIV cannot participate on the PGA Tour for a year? And now there is a Returning Member Program?”
DP World Tour to Remove Penalties for LIV Players?
The DP World Tour is reforming sanctions for rogue members. From the 2026 season, no penalties will be imposed on players who participate in non-sanctioned tours like the LIV Golf League. However, professionals like Patrick Reed, Jon Rahm, and Tyrrell Hatton who appealed against fines accumulated until 2025 still have to pay them. Rahm faces over three million dollars in fines. This change opens the door for more LIV players to participate in European Tour events as long as they remain DP World Tour members. Mandatory tournaments will still apply. For Rahm and Hatton, the situation remains delicate: losing their appeals and refusing to pay fines would mean losing DP World Tour membership and Ryder Cup eligibility.
Fatherhood for ‘Bob Mac’