Brooks Koepka hasn’t played in a Signature Event since returning to the PGA Tour via its Returning Member Program.
However, that could be about to change, with the former LIV Golfer the next in line for a place in the RBC Heritage field, should another player pull out in the lead-up to the Harbour Town event.
Three days before the tournament, Justin Rose withdrew following his Masters agony, where he led by two in the final round before letting it slip on his way to a T3.
Michael Thorbjornsen was listed as the first alternate, and he replaces Rose in the 82-player field, but next in line is Koepka.
Koepka’s return to the PGA Tour came with several conditions. One was that, while he was able to make an immediate return to full-field tournaments, he wouldn’t be eligible for sponsor’s exemptions into Signature Events.
That means he can only play in them via qualifying through the usual means - Aon Next 10, Aon Swing 5, winning a tournament or reaching the world's top 30.
Though Koepka has made several PGA Tour starts since his return, he is yet to win an event, while he’s not currently in the world’s top 30.
Koepka also wasn’t among the names in the Aon Swing 5 following its last eligible event before the RBC Heritage, the Valero Texas Open, which just leaves the Aon Next 10.
Patrick Rodgers and Pierceson Coody are in the field despite sitting 11th and 12th, respectively, because Adam Scott, who is fifth, isn’t playing and ninth-placed Jordan Spieth qualifies via his current FedEx Cup ranking.
Koepka is currently 20th on the list, and all the players between 13th and 19th are now in the field via other categories, too, including sponsor’s exemptions, the Aon Swing 5 and previous year’s FedEx Cup ranking.
As a result, Koepka is now just one more withdrawal away from getting the green light to tee it up at the $20m tournament alongside the likes of defending champion Justin Thomas and previous winners Scottie Scheffler and Matt Fitzpatrick.
