Rory McIlroy responds to Brooks Koepka’s PGA Tour return after LIV Golf exit

Brooks Koepka is returning to the PGA Tour later this month after three-and-a-half years with LIV Golf, with Rory McIlroy welcoming the five-time main champion

Rory McIlroy reacts as he walks on a golf course

Rory McIlroy will lastly play towards Brooks Koepka on the PGA Tour once more all through this season (Picture: Ross Kinnaird, Getty Photographs)

Rory McIlroy has welcomed Brooks Koepka’s resolution to depart LIV Golf and rejoin the PGA Tour. The Northern Irishman says his fellow five-time main champion is returning to the place he belongs, three-and-a-half years after his departure.

Koepka is because of make his comeback by a brand new Returning Member Program. Bryson DeChambeau, Cameron Smith and Jon Rahm might observe go well with; nevertheless, they’ve, for now, pledged their allegiance to the Saudi Arabia-backed league, making Koepka the only real participant scheduled to return on the Farmers Insurance coverage Open later this month.

Again in the summertime of 2022, McIlroy labelled gamers defecting to LIV as “duplicitous”, whereas Koepka branded them “sellouts” mere months earlier than his personal swap. Nonetheless, relations between the pair have since thawed, with McIlroy now embracing the previous world primary’s homecoming.

Talking to The Telegraph, he mentioned: “That is nice because it will get Brooks again to the place he belongs. He is among the finest gamers on the planet, and something that makes the normal excursions stronger is an efficient factor in my e book.”

As a part of their reinstatement, returning gamers should make a charitable donation of $5million (£3.7m). They’re additionally barred from incomes from the Participant Fairness Program for his or her first 5 years again and won’t be eligible for any funds from the FedExCup Bonus Program this season.

In his concluding remarks, Koepka expressed his gratitude to his followers: “Lastly, I need to thank the followers. Your help means extra to me at present than ever earlier than, and I sit up for seeing you quickly on the Farmers Insurance coverage Open and WM Phoenix Open.”