Brooks Koepka Talks PGA Tour Return, 'Harsh' Financial Penalty and Rebuilding Relationships

Brooks Koepka is returning to the PGA Tour after spending the last few years with the LIV Golf league.

As he makes his return, he recognizes that he has some relationships to restore, and he also understands why he has to face a "harsh" financial penalty.

"I've got a lot of work to do with some of the players," Koepka said, per the Associated Press. "There's definitely guys who are happy, and definitely guys who will be angry. It's a harsh punishment financially. I understand exactly why the tour did that -- it's meant to hurt. But it [his departure] hurt a lot of people.

"If anyone is upset, I need to rebuild those relationships."

PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp penned an open letter to Koepka after he was reinstated to the PGA Tour. In the letter, he noted that Koepka agreed to "a five-year forfeiture of potential equity in the PGA Tour's Player Equity Program," which could result in the loss of "approximately $50-85 million in potential earnings."

"There was no negotiating," Koepka said about his conversation with Rolapp. "It's meant to hurt -- it does hurt -- but I understand. It's not supposed to be an easy path. There's a lot of people that were hurt by it when I left, and I understand that's part of coming back."

Koepka will make his return to the PGA Tour at the Farmers Insurance Open later this month. He said he's both excited and nervous for his first event back.

"The first week I'll be a little bit nervous," Koepka said. "There's a lot going on than just golf. I'll be glad to put the first week behind me -- dealing with the media, dealing with the players, and then getting some of those tougher conversations. But I'm looking forward to it.

"Am I nervous? Yes. Am I excited? Yes. In a weird way, I want to have those conversations."