In a not-so-surprising move, Brooks Koepka has applied for reinstatement to the PGA Tour just 16 days after LIV Golf exit. However, questions about his possible path to rejoin were still present. But according to reports, his path back is blocked by an obstacle few could have predicted: a formal review process led by Tiger Woods.

As per Golf Digest, Koepka’s reinstatement application will be reviewed by the PGA Tour’s Future Competition Committee, the same body that is chaired by Tiger Woods. The committee will make some recommendations, on the basis of which CEO Brian Rolapp will make the ultimate decision.

There have been widespread murmurs as the PGA Tour has implemented a one-year ban on the golfers who played an unauthorized event. As per that, the earliest Koepka can play is after August 2026, but the PGA Tour might be flexible with this, however unfair that may seem, because several factors work in his favor.

The 5x major winner has been on good terms with several Tour pros; he played with them in a team at the 2023 Ryder Cup, adding to the bond. Rory McIlroy also feels that Koepka’s return to the PGA Tour will be beneficial for both parties. The former LIV golfer also never filed the antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour, unlike Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson.

Despite that, his fate rests with the Tour leadership, particularly Woods. Besides chairing the Future Competition Committee, Tiger Woods is the player-director of the PGA Tour policy board. So it goes without saying that he holds immense influence on the significant decision-making process.

The committee also includes Patrick Cantlay, Adam Scott, and others, and reviews the Tour’s competitive model. It also ensures to reinforce the merit-based structure, increase fan engagement, and make an effort to put top players against each other frequently in competitions. So while the former LIV golfer will improve most of these factors, the merit might become a hurdle.

Just last month, Koepka announced his exit from LIV despite a year remaining on his contract. His actions had subtly expressed the same throughout 2025. For instance, the time he came to the SoFi arena to watch PGA Tour pros compete, or back in March 2025, when Fred Couples revealed what his LIV Golf intentions were.

Koepka’s time on the PIF-backed circuit was a mixed bag of success and consequence. While he racked up five LIV wins and a major, his official standing in the golf world plummeted, with his world ranking falling to No. 244—a stark reminder of what he sacrificed. The reason he eventually gave was prioritizing more time with family and staying close to home. This particular reasoning might make sense after his wife’s painful miscarriage last year.

For his part, Tiger Woods had initially been a very vocal critic of LIV Golf. He never hesitated in questioning Koepka and Co.’s decision to switch sides, a move he thought was purely based on money. As per reports, he was even offered a nine-figure deal to join the league.

“I think that what they’ve done is they’ve turned their back on what has allowed them to get to this position,” Woods had said in 2022.

But over the years, his stance softened. Before the merger talks stalled, Woods was the flag-bearer of the entire group, from being present in the White House meeting to inviting PGA Tour officials and Yasir Al-Rumayyan to his Bahamas house. So it remains to be seen how the entire situation unfolds.

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Will Brooks Koepka be given special treatment?

Opinions within the golf world point to a range of outcomes. Some, like Rory McIlroy, want Brooks Koepka to return sooner rather than later. Of course, a name like his is bound to bring more eyeballs to the sport, and his overall stature would add value to the PGA Tour. Others, like Brandel Chamblee, have been critical.

The golf analyst has argued that letting a defector like Koepka rejoin without facing any consequences would set a bad precedent. Moreover, it would also undermine the PGA Tour’s meritocratic foundations, something Tiger Woods’ committee is expected to uphold.

Practically, Woods and his colleagues could settle on a middle ground. Brooks Koepka might be imposed with a temporary suspension or a fine, a step similar to what the DP World Tour takes for the LIV golfers. Ultimately, the decision on Koepka will not just determine one player’s future; it will define the players’ PGA Tour’s path forward in their post-LIV careers.