For many inside the PGA Tour, Brooks Koepka’s long-anticipated return was never going to feel like a homecoming. For players who stayed during the LIV divide, it raises questions about loyalt, and who gets to come back without starting over. Some see his return as good for competition; others see it as preferential treatment. As players choose sides and their reactions surface, Jordan Spieth, one of the Tour’s most respected voices stepped in to reframe how the return should be seen.

“You’re not going to ask somebody to change to please other people,” Spieth said, as per AP. “I don’t think he needs to play Monday pro-ams or walk along the range and shake everyone’s hand and say, ‘I’m sorry.’ He just comes back and plays really good golf. That’s good for everybody.”

Koepka knows what Spieth is saying. He knows that he has “a lot of work to do with some of the players. There are 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 was one of the best golfers before heading to LIV in 2022. He won the U.S. Open in 2017 and 2018 and then the PGA Championship in 2018 and 2019. Before leaving the PGA Tour, he won the Waste Management Phoenix Open in February 2021. He came back from five shots down to win with a final-round 65. So, one can argue that Koepka’s defection gave LIV its credibility, fracturing the sport, and hence some of the pros might feel a bit of frustration towards him now that he is returning.

What adds salt to the wounds is probably that the former LIV golfer’s time was just as successful with the Saudi-funded league. Koepka won five LIV tournaments and won the 2023 PGA Championship at Oak Hill, making him the first LIV player to win a major. By the way, this major win made it possible for Koepka to come back to the PGA Tour under the Returning Member Program.

The 5x major winner will be back at the Farmers Insurance Open on January 29. This will be his first regular PGA Tour event since the Valspar Championship in March 2022. He has also promised to play in the Phoenix Open. He is returning, but not without penalty.

He has to give $5 million to charity and can’t get Tour equity bonuses until 2030. The PGA Tour thinks he could lose between $50 million and $85 million in total. Koepka didn’t negotiate the penalty, as he knew this was better than facing the ban and risking his move back to the Tour.

The golf world awaits Brooks Koepka’s return; meanwhile, some pros have thoughts to share on his return:

Ludvig Aberg talked about his thoughts on The Drop Zone podcast. “We all want to play against the best.” “Brooks Koepka is definitely one of them,” Aberg said. “He has a history of winning; he’s won five major championships.” We will play better golf now that he is back on the PGA Tour.

The 25-year-old is seeing competition, but the other pros are calling the decision out. Michael Kim said on X that “guys are pissed.” And he isn’t the only one. Wesley Bryan’s short response to the PGA Tour’s Instagram announcement, “This is interesting,” added to the mixed reception.

The divide is happening because not everyone is a fan of LIV Golf. When players left the PGA Tour for the Saudi-backed league, the core argument that came up was that they chose money over traditional golf. And now that Koepka has returned, why not start from the beginning and earn the place instead of getting approval just because he has privilege?

The 35-year-old might have divided the Golf circles. But for the networks? This is good news.

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Networks see gold in Brooks Koepka’s comeback timing

The timing couldn’t have been better for CBS. The Farmers Insurance Open on January 29 is the first time Koepka will play on the PGA Tour in almost four years. It is also CBS’s season opener. The network’s ratings will go up right away as golf fans will tune in to see the five-time major champion deal with his controversial return.

Golf Channel and NBC are both well-positioned to make money. The Tour’s decision to allow LIV players like Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, and Cameron Smith to transfer until February 2 keeps people interested in many broadcasts.

The effects on broadcasting go beyond just covering tournaments. Shoulder programming gets new storylines, including player interviews, behind-the-scenes drama, and locker-room dynamics. Golf’s version of free agency gives networks interesting content that goes beyond just making shots and tracking scores. Brooks Koepka’s return isn’t just about making birdies and bogeys anymore; it’s a must-see story.

TGL and ESPN might benefit the most in ways they didn’t expect. Koepka lives close to the SoFi Center and was seen at games last season. The league’s flexible alternate-player policy might allow him to play in games. This season, TGL averages more than 500,000 viewers on ESPN. Adding Koepka’s star power and controversy could drive those numbers up.