The PGA Tour has taken the unusual step of increasing the field at this week’s Farmers Insurance Open to accommodate the highly anticipated return of Brooks Koepka, the five-time major champion who rejoined the Tour after a stint with LIV Golf. The adjustment ensures that Koepka’s comeback won’t displace any current Tour members from the field while preserving the tournament’s traditional structure.
Koepka, one of the biggest names in golf over the past decade, has not competed in a regular PGA Tour event outside of the majors since 2022. But his decision to end his association with LIV Golf and return to Tour competition under the newly minted Returning Member Program has reverberated through the professional ranks, prompting both logistical changes and lively debate.
Field Expansion to Keep the Peace
Originally, the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in San Diego was set to host 145 players. With Koepka’s confirmed entry, that number presented a problem for the Tour’s standard three-ball grouping format, which typically requires the field to divide neatly into groups of three. To avoid leaving a player unpaired — or forcing an awkward lone tee-off — the Tour announced Monday that the field would be officially expanded to 147 players by adding two alternates: Jackson Suber and Lanto Griffin.
Under the terms of the Returning Member Program, any returning player of Koepka’s stature — one who has achieved elite success and past major victories — is added to a tournament field without bumping another member out of a spot. This policy was crafted to smooth the return of former LIV players while respecting the rest of the Tour membership, but it has still raised eyebrows among some professionals and observers.
A Return With Strings Attached
Koepka’s re-entry into the PGA Tour comes with a series of conditions that reflect both his legacy and the complicated relationship between the Tour and players who left for the rival LIV circuit. As part of the return agreement — which includes financial penalties — Koepka is ineligible to play in certain “signature” events unless he qualifies under normal criteria, meaning he’ll start his schedule with stops such as the Farmers Insurance Open and next week’s WM Phoenix Open.
The new arrangement also honors longstanding Tour principles around member priority: Koepka will not take a spot that another Tour member might otherwise occupy. Hence, to make the scheduling work at Torrey Pines, the Tour essentially created space where none existed before, expanding a field that had already been reduced from even larger sizes in recent seasons.
Who Benefits From the Change?
For alternates like Suber and Griffin, Koepka’s inclusion — and the resulting field expansion — translates into an unexpected opportunity to compete at one of the Tour’s early-season highlights. In addition, four qualifiers from Monday’s local qualifying rounds — Thomas Rosenmueller, Henrik Norlander, Hunter Logan, and Jeremy Paul — will also make the trip to San Diego, showcasing the depth and variety of talent now taking part.
Meanwhile, one notable omission from the field this week is Blades Brown, an 18-year-old amateur who tied for the lead at a recent PGA Tour event but narrowly missed out when the Farmers roster firmed up.
Return Draws a Spotlight on the Farmers Open
Beyond the field adjustments, Koepka’s return has elevated attention on the Farmers Insurance Open in ways few non-major tournaments experience. ESPN — which has not carried live PGA Tour coverage of a regular-season event on its flagship channel in nearly two decades — has committed to broadcasting the first two rounds live on its main network on Thursday and Friday, alongside coverage on Hulu, Disney+ and the Golf Channel. That marks a rare spotlight for a mid-week Tour event and reflects the commercial appeal of Koepka’s comeback.
Koepka is slated to be featured in one of the marquee groups early in the week alongside past champions and top contenders, adding further intrigue for fans tuning in from around the world.
Mixed Reactions Within the Golf World
Although the administrative and logistical sides of Koepka’s return have been managed with care, not everyone in the golf world has greeted it with unreserved enthusiasm. Some players have expressed concern about granting special entry pathways or adjusting tournament norms to accommodate a returning star, even one of Koepka’s caliber. Others see the move as a pragmatic way for the PGA Tour to reintegrate marquee talent and enhance the competitive landscape for both sponsors and spectators.
Critics worry that creating exceptions — even ones that expand fields instead of displacing existing members — could set precedents that complicate tour policies down the line. Supporters argue that Koepka’s profile and past achievements justify a thoughtful reintegration plan that doesn’t penalize loyal Tour members.
What’s Next on the PGA Tour Calendar
After the Farmers Insurance Open, Koepka is slated to tee up at next week’s WM Phoenix Open, where similar field accommodations under the Returning Member Program are expected. Both events will serve as early litmus tests for how well the Tour’s policies accommodate high-profile returns without undermining competitive fairness.
At 35, Koepka remains one of the most compelling personalities in golf, and his performances this week are likely to be closely watched — both for what they say about his game and how they influence broader conversations about player movement between tours.
