'Inside The Ropes' is the chance for Golf Monthly's tour experts to share their honest opinions on the biggest subjects in the game. This week, it's all about Brooks Koepka.
'What's next for Brooks Koepka?' is one of the biggest questions in the game right now. The five-time Major winner recently left the LIV Golf League and is a free agent with almost every avenue open to him when, and if, he chooses to make his return.
When it was announced the Koepka was departing Smash GC - the team he captained for several seasons - the Florida-born pro said he was keen to spend more time with his family in Jupiter.
A statement read: "Family has always guided Brooks’s decisions, and he feels this is the right moment to spend more time at home."
Now back in the south-east corner of the United States, Koepka could well be weighing up his next move. Should he wish to continue playing pro golf and competing for Majors, the obvious call would be a return to the PGA Tour.
But, under current rules, the 35-year-old would not be permitted to tee it up in a PGA Tour event until the FedEx Cup Fall later this year, and that's an awfully long time to go without regular tour starts.
In the meantime, it's possible Koepka may entertain a season on the DP World Tour, with no such ban in place for competing in the LIV Golf League.
Even before that, Rory McIlroy was asked about the prospect of his fellow five-time Major winner playing in TGL, going as far as saying those involved would "find a way to include him" if he wanted to join this season.
What do you think Koepka is most likely to do next? Let us know in the comments box below. In the meantime, our tour experts have shared their thoughts.
There are three possibilities I see for Brooks Koepka’s 2026. Option one, the most likely I feel, is a return to the PGA Tour once his suspension lifts in late August after playing in all four Majors and a few DP World Tour events to keep his game in shape.
Option two would be to only play in the four Majors, and option three would be an immediate return to the PGA Tour.
The statement from the Tour indicated it would be happy to welcome him back, and this new PGA Tour under Brian Rolapp’s leadership may choose to rewrite the rules and allow the five-time Major champion and former World No.1 to return instantly.
Rory McIlroy would have no problems with that, but with fewer PGA Tour cards now in the frame and $20m Signature Events in play I’m not sure how the mid-tier players would take that.
If I was Brian Rolapp, I’d be trying to get Koepka back ASAP. In the meantime, he could well slot into Tiger Woods’ Jupiter Links TGL team considering he is a Jupiter local and clearly will have a bit more time on his hands this winter.
On the one hand, I can reasonably see Koepka returning to pro golf on the DP World Tour in the coming weeks and months before ultimately landing back on the PGA Tour in time.
But, personally, I don't believe he'll end up playing TGL - despite the valid reasons Elliott has offered up above.
On the other hand, I do wonder whether Koepka might retire. I'm not saying it's likely, but you never know what's going on behind closed doors in his personal life and things might have changed since he stated early last year that one of his aims was to win 10 or more Majors.
In addition, consider the fact that he's chosen to leave LIV Golf where he was almost guaranteed an uncapped flow of cash for however long he needed while remaining exempt into all four Majors.
Plus, LIV's limited schedule meant he was only away from home for maybe 4-5 months of the year at most (including Majors), while almost half of that time was spent in America anyway.
If the best part of eight months at home wasn't enough to satisfy Koepka's desire to spend more time with his family - the reason he gave for quitting LIV - I do wonder whether he would be happy to walk away with five Majors and very realistically upwards of $200 million earned.
I think Koepka will play a handful of events before the Major season ramps up at The Masters in April, with the American using this time out to reset mentally and psychologically.
Given the year he had in 2025, it's completely understandable why Koepka wants to be back home with his family and, given his injury struggles and the PGA Tour ban as well, now is the time that I think he'll put his mind to being back to 100% fitness.
Serving his PGA Tour ban, he should be eligible to return in the Fall. Between now and then are all four Majors and some big events on the DP World Tour, so to keep that competitive streak going, I would expect him to be present at one or two of them, like he was in 2025.
Do I think he'll play TGL? Possibly. Koepka lives in the area and, given that the TGL is expanding in 2027, it would need more players. Ultimately, it will be up to him on whether he plays, but there's no denying that the PGA Tour would certainly not say no to someone of his caliber.
