Brooks Koepka responds to Tom Watson's LIV criticism at Masters

• Hall of Famer Tom Watson believes Brooks Koepka should not be playing on the PGA Tour after his time with LIV Golf.
• Koepka responded that everyone is entitled to their opinion and he is grateful for the opportunity to return.
• Koepka is making the most of his return, posting his best Masters round in three years and entering the weekend at 3-under par.

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Brooks Koepka knew the decision would not be universally accepted.

He expected the blowback. He expected passionate responses from both sides with such a controversial decision both on his part and the PGA Tour's.

And he expected people like Hall of Famer Tom Watson eventually would weigh in when the PGA Tour welcomed him back after four seasons on the LIV tour.

Watson does not believe Koepka should be playing on the PGA Tour.

Koepka shrugs his shoulders.

"Everybody is entitled to their own opinion," Koepka said, April 10 after his best Masters round (69) in three years. "That's fine if he thinks that. He's not the first person that's thought that. So yeah, it is what it is. I'm just grateful to be out here."

The PGA Tour fast-forwarded Koepka's return to send a message to those who continue to cash checks signed by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund ... at least those the Tour would even want back, which is not many.

That message: There is a pathway back. It may not be the same for all (see Patrick Reed), but if you're ready, we are listening.

And that is Watson's issue as the eight-time major champion disagrees with the Tour allowing Koepka to return so quickly.

"I thought the LIV players, when they left, they were supposed to be banned for life," he said.

Watson, speaking after hitting his shot as one of the Masters three Honorary Starters, first said if he was commissioner, "that's what I would do," before softening that and saying he would require players seeking redemption to play a year on the Korn Ferry Tour.

Actually, nobody said LIV players who defected from the PGA Tour were banned for life. But there certainly were enough hard feelings where nobody believed they would be allowed back too quickly. Even if that included the penalties Koepka is paying such as not taking part in the Player Equity Program for the next five years, not receiving money from the FedEx Cup Bonus Program for the 2026 season and agreeing to make a $5 million charitable donation.

Koepka only took advantage of the opportunity he was given.

"The people that make those decisions let me out here." he said. "If you're going to get the opportunity to come back out, you're going to take it."

Brooks Koepka making most of first Masters post LIV

And perhaps playing with that clearer conscience after leaving LIV is starting to pay off. Koepka looked closer to the player who was dominant in major championships for about a two-year period starting in mid-2017, than he looked the last two years, including missing the cut in three majors in 2025.

Koepka's 3-under in the second round — he is 3-under entering the weekend — came on a day in which Augusta National got more challenging as the warm, dry conditions continue to turn the greens into slick, hard landing pads.

Koepka's round consisted of six birdies, three bogeys and a huge 19-foot par save on No. 17 that Koepka called a good "momentum builder" heading into the weekend.

"Like the way I'm playing," Koepka said. "You go back to all the good experiences and even the bad ones around here, it kind of helps you."

Koepka still looking for consistency in return to PGA Tour

Koepka's return to the PGA Tour has been relatively smooth and void of any big controversies before Watson decided to air his opinion.

The Jupiter resident always has been a fan favorite and his decision to spurn LIV has been looked upon favorably by many fans, perhaps energizing those "Brooksie" chants that he's heard on every stop since the return.

Including Augusta National.

Koepka admitted to having to overcome nerves in his first few PGA Tour events this season, a startling admission for a man whose success on golf's biggest stages not named the Ryder Cup were driven by his ability to block out all distractions and pressure that has rattled many of his peers.

But finishing 56th and missing the cut in his first two events had as much to do with an uncooperative putter as anything else. That forced a switch from his long-time trusty blade to a mallet putter and it paid off immediately with consecutive top 20 finishes at the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches (T9), Players (T13) and Valspar (T18).

That was short lived. Just when Koepka was feeling good about his stroke, and believing his putting woes were behind him, Koepka lost more than three strokes on the greens during the first two rounds at the Texas Children's Houston Open.

And he was not around for the weekend to try to fix that, missing his second cut in six starts.

Still, he took the last few weeks to hone in on his first major post LIV, and felt good about his game.

"Even after the missed cut (in Houston), I was hitting it really good," he said. "Just got overly aggressive. Kind of was hitting it too good and then you think you can take on everything and you can't."

Koepka called that a learning lesson in advance of the Masters. That, and past experiences like in 2019 when he was three shots behind the leader standing on the tee box on the par-3 12th hole and came up short, the ball hitting the bank and rolling back into Rae's Creek.

Koepka finished one shot behind champion Tiger Woods.

"Just got to hit it in the right spots, try to leave yourself an uphill putt," he said. "Every time I had an uphill putt I felt like I had a good chance at it."

Now, Koepka hopes can lean on another experience from Augusta National. During the rain-soaked 2023 Masters, Koepka led Jon Rahm by four shots late in the third round and two strokes entering the final round.

He stumbled, shooting a 75 in the final round, and lost by four shots.

"I know what it takes to win," Koepka said as he chases his first Masters. "I've watched Jon do it right in front of me. Felt like I kind of gave that one away."

Tom D'Angelo is a senior sports columnist and reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at [email protected].