It has been a rough homecoming to the PGA Tour for Brooks Koepka. But at PGA National on Friday, it looked like his season just might be turning around.
The Florida native finished five under par at T27 in Round 2 of the 2026 Cognizant Classic, putting him in position to make the cut for the weekend. Koepka told the Associated Press that he hit worse on Friday than he did the day before, but the scorecard didn’t lie in showing he shaved eight shots off of his total in Round 2.
Sure, he has a bit of a homefield advantage playing in Palm Beach Gardens. Still, it’s Koepka’s best round since returning to the PGA Tour this year.
And news that he made the cut could be a sign his season is about to turn around.
4-under start to the day for @BKoepka
Brooks Koepka Returns to the PGA Tour
The 2026 Cognizant Classic is Koepka’s third PGA Tour event of the season, and his third in nearly four years. The five-time major winner joined LIV Golf in June 2022, winning several events for the Saudi-backed league. He also won the 2023 PGA Championship, becoming just the 20th player all-time to win five majors and the first LIV Golfer — of two to date — to win a major event.
Rumors began to swirl in September 2025 that Koepka was contemplating a return to the PGA Tour. He officially announced the move in December, later citing a desire to be closer to his family. While he has to “pay his way” into signature events as part of the PGA’s reinstatement program, he sees his return as a new saga in his career.
“It’s a fresh start for me, which is cool,” he said in January, via the PGA Tour website. “It’s just another chapter, I guess, in my book. I’m excited for that. I feel like my game’s in pretty good shape, and I want to see where it’s at. Obviously, this week is a little bit different. But yeah, would just like to get this week over and just feel like I can start playing golf again. I’m super excited.”
Brooks Koepka Rebounding After First Two Starts in 2026
Shooting a 66 at PGA National may not sound like a big deal for a nine-time PGA Tour winner. But Koepka’s return has been a rough one, as he finished T56 at the Farmers Insurance Open on Jan. 29 and missed the cut a week later at the Phoenix Open.
So, making the cut at PGA National on Friday isn’t just news. It sheds light on the work he’s putting into his return to the PGA Tour — and all the work that goes with it.
“That’s the fun part,” Koepka said, via Golfweek. “I love the grind. I’ve always enjoyed it.”
Koepka will get back to grinding at 7:52 am ET on Saturday when he tees off for Round 3 of the 2026 Cognizant Classic. He’s a +6300 longshot at sportsbooks to top the leaderboard at the end of the day on Sunday, although he is listed at +260 odds at DraftKings to get his first top-10 finish of the season.
Brooks Koepka News Turns Heads at PGA’s Cognizant Classic