Tour Confidential: Takeaways from Brooks Koepka’s return, LPGA’s awkward start

Check in every week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics in the sport, and join the conversation by tweeting us at @golf_com. This week, we discuss the LPGA’s awkward start, Brooks Koepka’s return and Justin Rose’s dominant win.

The LPGA Tour opened its 2026 season with the Tournament of Champions at an uncharacteristically chilly Lake Nona Golf & Country Club in Orlando, Fla., and Nelly Korda was named the winner after the event was reduced to 54 holes (eight players finished their third rounds Sunday after weather also delayed the third round). The LPGA told reporters on-site that the weather (temps in the low 30s, plus wind) did not create an “optimal competitive environment for pros,” although the celebrities in the pro-am event still played nine holes Sunday. One of them, Annika Sorenstam, called the course “very playable.” Any issue with this one being shortened to 54 holes?

James Colgan, news and features editor (@jamescolgan26): I feel sympathy for the LPGA, because this is one of those “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” situations. But I think any time things are close to playable, tours should opt for 72-hole events. The mojo of an event is totally changed, if not ruined, by the decision to cleave off 25 percent of it, and I’m not sure the conditions in Orlando justified radical change.

Dylan Dethier, senior writer (@dylan_dethier): I cannot understand how this was the best option. Y’know what’s interesting about golf? The fact that it’s never an “optimal environment.” It was incredible watching Nelly Korda surge up the leaderboard on Saturday — in part because she played so well in less than optimal conditions. It would have been a huge win for the league to showcase Korda taking on the elements (and the rest of the field) on Sunday or Monday if needed; instead we’re left in awkward limbo with the league sheepishly handing its biggest star what should have been an incredible victory.

Josh Schrock, news editor (@Schrock_And_Awe): It really seems like this was an incredible own goal on the LPGA’s part. Not just because they elected not to grind through a cold day on Sunday or play in slightly warmer but still cold temps on Monday. But they could have moved up tee times on Friday and Saturday and grouped the players together instead of with the ams to allow for players to play in similar conditions — Nelly’s Saturday round was awesome, but she also went off well ahead of the leaders and only got the really bad stuff on the final two holes. With the LPGA not playing against until Feb. 19, I find it hard to believe they couldn’t find a way to get 18 more holes in and showcase their biggest draw snapping her winless drought in impressive fashion. It would have been a big win for the LPGA to have Nelly win in this way in Week 1. Instead, we got “optimal competitive environment” and Annika wondering why they weren’t playing. Perplexing stuff. 

Six-time LPGA Tour Danielle Kang commented on social media that shortening rounds to 54 holes due to bad weather seems to be the LPGA’s first option, while on the PGA Tour it seems to be the last resort. Do you think there is validity to that? And why?

Colgan: It does certainly feel like that’s the case, but there are so many details that go into these decisions (financial, weather-related, sponsor-and-TV driven, etc.) that change by the week and by the event and by the venue. That makes it hard to compare even across tours.

Dethier: Look, I know it’s not their first option. I know they want the best for the league. I’m excited about the LPGA’s trajectory. It just feels to me like they should have done everything they could have to make it work, frost be damned. 

Schrock: It’s not their first option, but reducing it to 54 holes in the manner they did and with a pretty soft explanation is a bad look. Have to feel like they could have found a way to get the final round. There were no frost delays and the high winds from Saturday are not expected to return. Monday will be cold but playable. Let’s see who can grind out a win. That’s the fun part of golf!

News

LIV golfer-turned-PGA Tour player Brooks Koepka made his return at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, making the rounds in the media and even jumping on the broadcast before finishing T56. What did you think of his week and the reception?

Colgan: I was surprised by how vulnerable he seemed in his conversations and his interactions on the course. For the vast majority of Koepka’s interactions with the public over the last five years, he’s appeared somewhere between surly and outright combative. This week was quite the opposite. I think it’ll be a while before I fully buy the “changed man” narrative — but it’s something I’m monitoring.

Dethier: I’m wary of getting too over-the-top with anything Brooks. Still, he was greeted like a conquering hero. He sounded humble and grateful and did extensive media before the tournament and then after each round, even sitting for the CBS broadcast on both Saturday and Sunday. Also, his golf swing looked great. Tee to green he was good enough to contend. He was dreadful with the putter, but there’s plenty of reason to be optimistic.

Schrock: I agree with James and Dylan that we should tread carefully when psychoanalyzing Brooks. We’ll see if the Koepka who seemed genuinely happy and grateful to be back and said he has “grown up” is indeed the Koepka who has returned from LIV. But my biggest takeaway was that a guy who famously couldn’t be bothered by regular PGA Tour events really seemed to soak up his return, enjoy the moments with his family and relished the opportunity to be the first guy back across the bridge. It was cool to see him back. His putting was dreadful. Hopefully he can find his way into contention soon. 

News

Speaking of LIV defectors, Patrick Reed announced Wednesday he’s leaving LIV and will be eligible to rejoin the PGA Tour in the fall of 2026. Bigger news for the Tour, or worse for LIV Golf?

Colgan: Worse for LIV, if only because name value is the currency of sports, and Reed’s departure removes one more familiar name from LIV’s fields. 

Dethier: Worse for LIV. One quote Reed gave to ESPN explains why: “After winning [on the DP World Tour last week], I realized just how much I missed the grind and the dogfight; that’s who I am,” he said. The implication there is pretty clear. To Reed, golf’s established tours offer something that LIV didn’t. His decision to come back is a tough narrative to counter.

Schrock: Worse for LIV. They’ve now lost two of the six names they have that truly register. LIV built itself on buying names and two of those have now left. Combined with reports that the PIF is tightening the belt and that’s two successive blows to LIV. 

LIV Golf begins its season this coming week in Saudi Arabia, although without Koepka, who took up the PGA Tour’s offer to return via the newly created Returning Member Program. The window for application ends Feb. 2, and at this point it seems unlikely the only other eligible players (Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Smith) will flip. Given that Koepka might be the only one to return, was new CEO Brian Rolapp’s program a success?

Colgan: Uh, it wouldn’t have been a failure if nobody rejoined the Tour. The biggest talking point of the last three years has been bringing the best players back together. The Tour has now very clearly defined how that pathway looks. Adding two former major winners (including one willing to endure an eight-month suspension)? That’s just a bonus.

Dethier: Koepka’s decision to return is a massive win for the Tour. Reed’s decision to return is, too. These guys are essentially paying to play the PGA Tour; that’s a narrative win. Rolapp deserves a ton of credit, but so do those around him; this is a reinvigorated Tour thinking bigger and better and in this case, it really shows.

Schrock: No other way to square it than as a massive win for the PGA Tour. They brought back two big names, both of whom are major champions and generate emotion, and have them both agreeing to penalties — in Reed’s case an eight-month suspension — to come back. Rolapp being untethered to the past has freed the Tour up to do what previously seemed unlikely under past leadership. The response and coverage of Koepka’s return showed how big of a win this was for the PGA Tour. Reed coming back and doing so after an eight-month exile is icing. 

News

Justin Rose won the Farmers on Sunday, cruising to a seven-shot victory at Torrey Pines for his 13th PGA Tour win of his career. At 45 years old — and with an Olympic gold and U.S. Open title — does Rose get enough credit for being one of the game’s most consistent performers? How is he still doing it?

Colgan: When Rose faded down the stretch at the 2024 Open, I remember wondering if the “Indian Summer” chapter of his career was over. I was amazed by his performance then, and I’m even more impressed by it today. Rose is one of golf’s most impressive strategic thinkers and all-time decent dudes — he deserves the love he’s receiving.

Dethier: Rose just keeps writing new chapters and my goodness was this one particularly impressive. Rose is smashing drives; he’s up several miles per hour in ball speed over last season, looking and playing like a younger man. He led wire to wire. Broke Tiger Woods’ Torrey Pines scoring record. Won by seven. Looked in control very literally the entire tournament. Now he’s up to No. 3 in the world, which is unthinkable. Inspiring play from an inspiring player.

Schrock: It’s probably the best story we have going in professional golf right now. There’s nothing better than the aging guy who refuses to give Father Time what it wants to take from him. That he is arguably an even better player now than he was when he was World No. 1 speaks to his talent, drive and commitment to his craft and his body. At the Open, he said that losing the Masters to Rory didn’t sting in the way you’d think because it told him he can still bring it on the biggest stages against the best players in the world. Didn’t sound like a guy whose “Indian Summer” was ending and now he has won two times in the last six starts and continues to be a Ryder Cup killer. Tip of the cap.