'A lot of work to do': Koepka on his PGA Tour return

How the five-time major winner is received - inside and outside the ropes - remains to be seen as the first player to be invited back to the PGA Tour after taking Saudi riches to defect to LIV Golf in 2022.

"I've got a lot of work to do with some of the players," Koepka said in a phone interview on Monday. "There's definitely guys who are happy, and definitely guys who will be angry. It's a harsh punishment financially. I understand exactly why the tour did that - it's meant to hurt. But it (his departure) hurt a lot of people.

"If anyone is upset, I need to rebuild those relationships."

Koepka has been allowed back under a one-time "Returning Member Program" the PGA Tour board developed and approved last week. It applies only to players who have won a major or The Players Championship between 2022 and 2025.

The penalty is a $US5 million contribution to a charity the tour will help decide, no access to FedEx Cup bonus money in 2026, no sponsor exemptions to the $US20 million signature events and, most importantly, no equity grants in the tour for the next five years.

The tour estimates based on Koepka performing at the level allowed to win five majors, the financial repercussions could be worth anywhere from $US50 million to $US85 million.

"There was no negotiating," Koepka said about his conversation last week with Brian Rolapp, the CEO of PGA Tour Enterprises. "It's meant to hurt, it does hurt, but I understand. It's not supposed to be an easy path. There's a lot of people that were hurt by it when I left, and I understand that's part of coming back."

For those not happy to see him return, Koepka said he looks forward to have private conversations.

"The first week I'll be a little bit nervous," Koepka said. "There's a lot going on than just golf. I'll be glad to put the first week behind me — dealing with the media, dealing with the players, and then getting some of those tougher conversations. 

"Am I nervous? Yes. Am I excited? Yes. In a weird way, I want to have those conversations."

Jordan Spieth said Koepka just needed to be the same person who left.

"You're not going to ask somebody to change to please other people," Spieth said. "I don't think he needs to...walk along the range and shake everyone's and say, 'I'm sorry.' He just comes back and plays really good golf. That's good for everybody."

The 35-year-old Koepka will return at Torrey Pines on January 29. 

Word first began to circulate in November that negotiations between Koepka and LIV Golf — he had one year left on his contract — were not going well. He had publicly complained last summer that LIV was not as far along as he would have liked.

And then on December 23 came the announcement from LIV of an "amicable" split, and Koepka reapplied for PGA Tour membership.

Australian Associated Press