In a stunning public intervention, veteran PGA Tour star Keegan Bradley has directly cautioned fellow major champion Brooks Koepka against a rumored return to the Tour, stating plainly that such a move “isn’t a good idea.”
The warning comes amid swirling speculation that Koepka, a five-time major winner and foundational player for the Saudi-backed LIV Golf league, is considering a pathway back to the PGA Tour following the framework agreement between the Tour, LIV’s financiers (the Public Investment Fund), and the DP World Tour. While details of any potential return for LIV players remain murky and subject to negotiation, Bradley’s comments reveal a significant undercurrent of tension and unresolved grievance among Tour loyalists.
“I respect Brooks immensely as a player—his record in majors speaks for itself,” Bradley said in an exclusive interview after his pro-am round at the Zozo Championship. “But for him to think he can just slide back in here like nothing happened… I’ll be honest, I don’t think it’s a good idea. Not for him, not for the guys who stayed.”
Bradley, who has been one of the Tour’s most vocal supporters during its two-year conflict with LIV, cited several points of contention.
“This isn’t personal,” Bradley emphasized. “It’s about principle. Guys like myself, Scottie [Scheffler], Rory [McIlroy], Justin Thomas—we turned down massive sums of money. We showed up every week, supported the sponsors who supported us, and played through the distraction. We believed in this tour. There’s a locker room dynamic here, a culture. You can’t fracture that, profit massively from a rival league, and expect a seamless return without consequences.”
The core of Bradley’s argument hinges on fairness and the lack of a clear path for reintegration. While the framework agreement theoretically opens the door for player reunification, it has not established any disciplinary measures or eligibility criteria for returning LIV golfers.
“What about the FedExCup points? The playoffs he [Koepka] missed? The designated events he didn’t play in?” Bradley questioned. “If there are no competitive or financial penalties, what was the point of any of us staying? It sets a terrible precedent.”
Koepka has not publicly confirmed any imminent plans to reapply for PGA Tour membership. However, sources close to the player indicate he is “weighing all options” for 2026, especially with his major championship exemptions (from his 2023 PGA Championship win) running their course. Koepka’s team declined to comment on Bradley’s specific remarks.
The reaction from other Tour players has been mixed but reveals a clear divide.
“Keegan speaks for a lot of us in that room,” said one top-30 player who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of ongoing negotiations. “There has to be some accountability.”
Conversely, others see pragmatism as necessary for the sport’s future. “The war is over, or it should be,” said another veteran Tour winner. “We need the best players together again, even if it’s messy. Holding onto grudges helps no one.”
Analysts suggest Bradley’s public salvo is a strategic move aimed at influencing the ongoing, and notoriously slow-moving, negotiations between the Tour and PIF.
“This is a shot across the bow to the Tour’s policy board and [Commissioner] Jay Monahan,” said golf historian Dr. Linda Diaz. “Bradley is articulating the fear of many members that a soft landing for LIV stars would invalidate their own loyalty. He’s forcing the issue into the public eye, ensuring it can’t be swept under the rug in a backroom deal.”
For now, the ball appears to be in Koepka’s court—and more importantly, in the boardrooms where golf’s future is being decided. But one thing is clear: if a return is on the table, Brooks Koepka’s road back to the PGA Tour will be anything but smooth, lined with vocal opponents like Keegan Bradley who believe some bridges, once burned, cannot be so easily rebuilt.