Brooks Koepka return: ‘I rang Tiger Woods first’, says golfer on PGA Tour return

American Woods is a 15-time major winner and chairman of the PGA Tour’s Future Competitions Committee.

And Koepka added: “I didn’t know [the new PGA Tour commissioner] Brian [Rolapp], I didn’t have a relationship with him obviously just because he’s pretty new and Jay [Monahan, the previous incumbent] was going to be the next call.

“I felt like Tiger was somebody that I’ve relied on in the past for questions and answers and how to deal with things and I felt like that was maybe the most comfortable call for me.”

Married with a young son, the three-time PGA Championship winner and twice US Open champion said he was leaving LIV Golf to prioritise “the needs of his family”.

“I don’t regret anything I do,” added the Florida-born Koepka, who won nine PGA Tour events during his nine seasons on North America’s elite professional circuit.

“I’ve learned a lot. I’ve always enjoyed the ride no matter where I’m at.”

Speaking about making his return to Torrey Pines in California, he said: “Maybe I’m a little nervous about that as well, just to see, I guess, how the fans respond to it.

“I hope that they’re excited. I hope that they’re happy that I’m out here. You know, hopefully that goes, at least like the conversations I’ve had with players, that they’re excited that I’m back and happy to see me play.”

Rory McIlroy recently suggested Koepka’s return to the PGA Tour could mean the rival LIV Golf tour was in decline.

But the Northern Irishman has now added the decision could also have been motivated by the level of competition.

“He obviously is a very competitive person and wants to compete at the highest level,” said McIlroy, 36.

“I think he made the decision that he thought competing at the highest level meant coming back to the PGA Tour.

“It seems like some of those guys [on the LIV tour] are maybe starting to realise that they’re not getting everything that they wanted out of going over there, and that’s obviously a great thing for the PGA Tour.”