Five-time major champion Brooks Koepka is demonstrating his dedication to maintaining competitive sharpness by entering lower-tier tournaments as he prepares for the remaining three major championships of 2026.
Following his recent departure from LIV Golf and swift re-entry to the PGA Tour via the newly-established Returning Player Program, Koepka faces restrictions that prevent him from receiving sponsor invitations to signature events in 2026. With two premier tournaments scheduled before the PGA Championship next month, Koepka has decided to participate in the upcoming Myrtle Beach Classic, an alternate-field competition.
The three-time PGA Championship winner will use Myrtle Beach and its $4 million prize pool as his final preparation while most elite players compete for $20 million at Charlotte’s Truist Championship at Quail Hollow.
Victory at Myrtle Beach would offer Koepka an additional benefit: automatic qualification for the season’s final two signature tournaments, the Memorial and Travelers championships.
Koepka’s recent performance includes a missed cut alongside teammate Shane Lowry at the Zurich Classic, though he posted a respectable tie for 12th at the Masters. He has recorded four top-20 results in his last five individual stroke-play tournaments and currently ranks 59th in FedEx Cup points.
Two weeks ago at the RBC Heritage, Koepka served as first alternate, waiting through opening-round tee times hoping for a withdrawal that would allow him entry. His participation will bring star power to the three-year-old Myrtle Beach event.
“Having Brooks Koepka commit to the ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic is a tremendous moment for our tournament and our community,” tournament director Darren Nelson said, per the Post and Courier. “He’s one of the most accomplished players of his generation, and his presence speaks to the continued momentum of this event on the PGA TOUR calendar.”
The PGA Championship begins May 14 at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania.
