Brooks Koepka admits surprise at aspect of PGA | Golf News

Brooks Koepka confessed he was unsure about the sort of welcome he would get as he gears up for his fourth look since returning to the PGA Tour.

Koepka departed LIV Golf before the 2026 season and rejoined the American circuit via the Returning Members Program, heading into the Players with a top-10 end at the Cognizant Classic under his belt.

“Maybe just how great the fans have been,” Koepka responded when requested about the most stunning aspect of his return.

“I think that’s kind of been the big thing. I didn’t know how the reception was going to be. Obviously you can sit in bed and just kind of lay there and think about a million different things of how it’s going to go.

“I imply, proper? You have all these eventualities that play out, but it never actually comes to fruition of precisely what you suppose. I believe that’s been the big factor. It’s been thrilling, it has been enjoyable, and it makes it pleasurable to be on the market.”

After making his first start since 2022, Koepka revealed he’d rekindled his love for the game. “Yeah, I imply, I did not suppose it was going to be perhaps as emotional for me, but it was,” Koepka admitted ahead of the Players Championship.

“It was great. It was actually a great feeling. Sometimes I could be superb at burying my feelings, and I just look at it as this is a job; just be robotic and go about your course of. I’m fairly sure all people sees that when I’m on the golf course.

“But when I get away from it, I’m very chill, very relaxed and enjoying life, and sometimes — I was just taking in the moment and appreciating where I was. I think that was something I haven’t done in my professional career, and it was just enjoyable.”

The former LIV Golf captain has a memorable historical past at TPC Sawgrass courting back to 2018, when he shot a closing spherical 63 – the bottom closing spherical of his PGA Tour profession.

“It’s obviously a lot better,” Koepka said, discussing his confidence heading into the extremely anticipated PGA Tour event.

“I think the first week was just trying to get that out of the way. Then the second week, I felt like it was very disappointing. Made a few changes, new putter; just working on a few different mechanical things in the putting. It felt like it started to click, I guess, Thursday afternoon after the round at Cognizant. Feel good, hitting it good. Like I said, just building momentum.”