Follow us on Google Discover Brooks Koepka’s first season back on the PGA Tour has turned into something of an anticlimax, with the five-time major champion’s year described as the biggest disappointment.
Koepka was one of the game’s most talked-about players heading into 2026. The 36-year-old became the first big name to walk away from LIV Golf at the end of last season.
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The PGA Tour created a pathway for Koepka to make an immediate return under certain conditions, including that he would have to earn his way into signature events as he could not be invited.
Brooks Koepka has a point to prove after an underwhelming return to the PGA Tour
Many would have been forgiven for assuming that it was a matter of time before a player of Brooks Koepka‘s calibre was able to force his way into the signature events.
However, that did not materialise this year.
Koepka finished 94th in the FedEx Cup standings and will need to make a handful of appearances in the Fall to remain inside the top 100.
His best finish was ninth place at the Cognizant Classic back in March. And speaking on the Golf Channel Podcast following the Tour Championship, Ryan Lavner picked out Koepka’s year as a standout negative from the season.
Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images
“My biggest disappointment, this one was obvious to me, I’m going Brooks Koepka. Much ballyhooed return at Torrey Pines. You covered it, ESPN broke into their daily programming to give you live first round coverage, and quite frankly, Brooks Koepka just never delivered,” he said.
“A single top 10 in 16 starts, despite playing you could argue B, C level competition, full field events exclusively on the PGA Tour. Although he was not able to be gifted exemptions and invitations into the signature events, he could have played his way into them through the Aon Next 10 or Swing Five. Unable to do so over the course of the season. Just a single top 25 finish in a major championship as well.
“The putter, which had been a liability over the past couple of years, at this point became a full five alarm emergency for Brooks Koepka to figure out over the course of the Fall. He’s going to have a couple of starts upcoming over the next couple of months on the DP World Tour. But in 2027, Brooks absolutely has to get that part figured out at the age of 36.”
Where Brooks Koepka ranks on the PGA Tour statistically
Koepka’s 2023 PGA Championship win proved that you just can never write him off, so it would certainly be dangerous to do so ahead of the 2027 season.
He will potentially benefit from making fewer headlines next year. Koepka is no longer the new kid, and there may be a number of other names associated with LIV Golf also looking to make their way back on the PGA Tour.
As Lavner notes, Koepka’s putting needs to improve considerably.
Strokes gained categoryBrooks Koepka’s PGA Tour rank (2026)Off the tee47thApproach12thAround the green53rdTee to green14thPutting115thTotal35thCredit PGA Tour
He is outside the top 100 for strokes gained putting this season, while he is just outside the top 10 for his approach play.
So there are some encouraging signs. But there is clearly a lot of work to be done before Koepka is winning on the PGA Tour again.
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