Rory McIlroy believes that it would make sense for Brooks Koepka to return to the PGA Tour as soon as possible but acknowledges that the five-time major winner may have to bide his time before returning to the US based circuit following his departure from LIV Golf.
Koepka initially joined LIV Golf in 2022 in what was a blockbuster move for the Saudi backed tour but he recently relinquished his position as Smash GC captain in order to spend more time with his family Stateside.
The American had his PGA Tour membership suspended upon joining LIV but McIlroy insists his return would be a boost for golf going forward.
“Does it make sense if Brooks wanted to play the PGA Tour again to get him back as soon as possible? Absolutely,” McIlroy told The Palm Beach Post after securing his maiden victory with Boston Common at TGL.
“What Brooks has done in the game of golf, it would be good for everyone to have him back.”
However, an immediate return to the PGA Tour appears an unlikely scenario for Koepka. A number of ex-LIV players have continued to serve suspensions before being allowed to return to the PGA Tour competitively and McIlroy fears that may be the case for Graeme McDowells former Smash teammate.
“It’s hard. You can’t treat one person differently than you treat others. And as much as the Tour would like to treat Brooks differently, it sets a legal precedent, because of the lawsuits that have been going on and everything else behind the scenes.
“He’s still exempt on Tour because of his major wins. That’s not the hurdle. The hurdle is how they have treated others that have tried to come back, serve suspensions, or whatever it is. That’s the difficult thing.”
The Masters champion who has previously been so outspoken against LIV Golf has softened his stance over the last eighteen months and he would be OK with some of LIV’s star names playing on the PGA Tour again.
“I think they’ve already paid their consequence,” McIlroy said on the Overlap’s Stick to Football. “They’ve made the money, but they’ve paid their consequence in terms of the reputation and some of the things they’ve lost by going over there.
“If it made the overall tour stronger to have Bryson back and whoever else I would be OK with it, but I recognise not everyone is in my position. It would be up to the collective group of PGA Tour members to make that decision.”
Where Koepka plays is anybody’s guess. He is guaranteed a place in all four of the major championships this season although it could be good news for the DP World Tour after the American dabbled in Europe last Autumn.
In a statement, Koepka’s representatives, said: “Brooks Koepka will be stepping away from LIV Golf. He is deeply grateful to Yasir Al-Rumayyan, Scott O’Neil, and the LIV Golf leadership team, his teammates, and the fans.
“Family has always guided Brooks’s decisions, and he feels this is the right moment to spend more time at home. Brooks will continue to be a huge supporter of LIV Golf and wishes the league and its players continued success.
“Brooks remains passionate about the game of golf and will keep fans updated on what’s ahead.”
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