Sports
Brooks Koepka nervous, excited for 'fresh start' on PGA Tour
Dec 18, 2025; Greenbrier, West Virginia, USA; Brooks Koepka on the 5th hole at The Old White at the Greenbrier. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports Brooks Koepka had the guile to win nine times on the PGA Tour and the savvy to win five major tournaments and yet it was a chair and a microphone Tuesday that brought the nerves of an 8-foot putt at 18 on Sunday with the trophy on the line.
Mostly straight-faced and humble, Koepka admitted that he still is not sure how his presence in PGA Tour events after four years with LIV Golf will be received, but the text messages and in-person well wishes have been reassuring.
And yet there is the presence of those around the game he does not know as well that has Koepka on edge the most.
Tuesday’s press conference ahead of Koepka’s return event, the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla, Calif., brought apprehension.
Another moment of uncertainty arrives Thursday when Koepka plays in front of a gallery during the first round.
“Maybe I’m a little nervous about that as well just to see how, I guess, how the fans respond to it,” Koepka said, after his return was announced earlier this month. “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.”
Swinging his clubs, for what he hopes is four rounds on the bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean might be the easiest part of Koepka’s week.
Unlike his time at LIV, when he was on a reported $100 million contract that was in addition to any prize money he earned, his play from week-to-week on the PGA Tour will make a difference. Koepka will have to earn his way into the tour’s signature events like Pebble Beach and The Genesis in Los Angeles, both next month.
For now, he is committed to playing this week and next week at the WM Phoenix Open. On Tuesday, he added the Feb. 26-March 1 Cognizant Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., to his schedule.
“That’s the fun part, I love the grind, I’ve always enjoyed it,” said Koepka, who has a goal of winning at least one tournament this year. “I guess it’s a fresh start for me, which is cool. 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, I would just like to get this week over and just feel like I can start playing golf again. I’m super excited.”
Asked multiple times what inspired his move back to the PGA Tour now, with another year left on his LIV deal, Koepka, 35, said it was family related, without going into specifics.
He did say the impetus for a return started in September, around the time of the Ryder Cup. On Oct. 6, Koepka’s wife, Jenna Sims, revealed on social media she had a miscarriage.
“Circumstances kind of changed in my family a little bit,” Koepka said. “Then that’s when I guess things started to change and evolve and just started to have those conversations of what’s best for my family. So we took it from there. … (LIV) understood the situation that I was in.”
Koepka said his first call went to Tiger Woods about starting the process to play on the PGA Tour again. The next call went to commissioner Jay Monahan.
“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,” Koepka said.
The PGA Tour came up with a Returning Members Program that was revealed earlier this month and said that former tour members who have won a major tournament or The Players Championship since 2022 can return under further parameters.
It left Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith as the only players who could immediately return by a Feb. 2 deadline. DeChambeau, Rahm and Smith eventually reinforced their commitment to LIV.
Koepka has no regrets about the path he chose and said he has grown as a person following the birth of his son Crew, who will turn 3 in July.
His family will be in attendance in the San Diego area this week and again in the Phoenix area next week. Seeing consecutive tournaments while he was a member of LIV Golf would have been challenging for his family.
“I think as everybody in this room goes through phases in life and that’s kind of the phase I’m in now, is trying to make sure I set a good example for (Crew) and do what’s best for my family,” Koepka said.
On the course, he has inspiration from another competitor, who is also a new father.
“I know sometimes when your mind’s free, I think you look at Scottie (Scheffler) right now, sometimes it’s easier to go play golf and play your best,” Koepka said.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Pirates wreck Reds; tie MLB record for consecutive walks
May 2, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Home plate umpire Willie Traynow keeps Cincinnati Reds second baseman Sal Stewart (27) away from Pittsburgh Pirates cvatcher Henry Davis after he was nearly hit by the ball during the seventh inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images The host Pittsburgh Pirates scored 15 runs in the first four innings and took advantage of record wildness by the Cincinnati Reds to roll to a 17-7 victory on Saturday.
Rookie Konnor Griffin doubled, tripled and went 4-for-5 while driving in two, while Ryan O’Hearn doubled and drove in three as the top eight hitters in the Pirates lineup each had at least one hit while seven batters had at least two hits.
Pittsburgh also drew seven consecutive walks in the second inning — tying a major league record set in 1909 and equaled in 1983. The Pirates scored five runs in the second without a hit, becoming the first team to accomplish the feat since 1994.
Right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski (2-2) was the beneficiary of the offensive outburst. He struck out a career-high 10 while scattering eight hits, two walks and five runs over 5 2/3 innings.
Will Benson and JJ Bleday homered and Nathaniel Lowe drove in three runs for the Reds, who trailed 15-3 after four innings. Cincinnati starter Rhett Lowder (3-2) surrendered eight runs, five hits and four walks before being removed with one out in the second.
Since losing 2-0 to Cincinnati in their first meeting on March 30, Pittsburgh has won the last four by a combined 42-14 score.
For a second straight day, the game was played in raw conditions, with a game-time temperature of 43 degrees.
Lowder appeared miserable in the cold and struggled badly early. He was unable to find his rhythm or command while allowing four runs before there were two outs in the first inning. The five runs allowed in the first were a career high for the right-hander.
Lowder labored through 30 pitches in the first as O’Hearn, Marcell Ozuna and Griffin each doubled in the five-run outburst. Lowder then walked the bases loaded in the second before being pulled.
Reliever Connor Phillips came in and walked all four Pirates he faced to force in four runs. He left after throwing just five of his 21 pitches for strikes.
The last time seven straight walks were issued in a Major League game came on May 25, 1983, when three Pirates pitchers walked seven in a row at Atlanta in a 6-0 Braves win.
The five runs without a hit in the second happened for the first time since April 27, 1994, when the Seattle Mariners allowed five runs to the New York Yankees in the top of the third inning.
With the score 15-6, Pittsburgh reliever Chris Devenski was ejected for throwing inside near the ribcage of Sal Stewart to open the seventh. Stewart took exception and stared out at the mound. But the encounter did not escalate as umpires intervened.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Max Meyer, 2 relievers hold Phillies to 1 hit
May 2, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Marlins starting pitcher Max Meyer (23) throws against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images Max Meyer only allowed one hit in seven shutout innings and Xavier Edwards homered in the host Miami Marlins’ 4-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday
Meyer (2-0) faced one over the minimum number of batters with a walk and seven strikeouts in the longest start of his career. He threw 55 strikes in 83 pitches.
Anthony Bender and Andrew Nardi each retired the side in order in the combined one-hitter.
Otto Lopez and Edwards each had two hits with a run and an RBI and Connor Norby was 2-for-3 with a run batted in for the Marlins, who evened the four-game series at one win each.
Garrett Stubbs got the lone hit for the Phillies, who had their four-game winning streak under interim manager Don Mattingly snapped. Kyle Schwarber was 0-for-3 with three strikeouts and has struck out in all eight at-bats over his last two games, tying a career high for consecutive strikeouts.
Philadelphia right-hander Andrew Painter (1-3) gave up three runs on seven hits in five innings with three walks and seven strikeouts.
The Marlins took a 2-0 lead in the third on consecutive bases-loaded, two-out walks to Agustin Ramirez and Norby.
It was the second straight inning Miami loaded the bases with one out with three consecutive singles. In the second, Painter got Graham Pauley on a foul out and struck out Esteury Ruiz swinging to end the inning.
Edwards’ one-out solo homer in the fifth made it 3-0. He drove Painter’s 1-1 four-seam fastball into the right-field stands for his second home run.
Lopez’s infield single with two outs in the sixth increased the Marlins’ advantage to 4-0.
Stubbs singled in the third with one out and was erased on an inning-ending double play.
Justin Crawford was scratched from the Phillies’ lineup because of a migraine.
Philadelphia also activated catcher J.T, Realmuto from the 10-day injured list (back spasms) earlier Saturday and designated Dylan Moore for assignment. Realmuto was hitless in three at-bats.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Kelvin Yeboah nets brace as Minnesota rallies past Crew
Columbus Crew midfielder Sean Zawadzki (25) attempts to block the shot of Minnesota United FC forward Tomás Chancalay (8) in the first half of the MLS match at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field on Saturday, May 2, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio. Kelvin Yeboah’s brace and a goal and an assist by Anthony Markanich keyed a 15-minute second-half comeback as Minnesota United defeated the host Columbus Crew 3-2 on Saturday.
Markanich broke a 2-2 tie in the 74th minute off a throw-in when he scored on a header off a cross by Nectarios Triantis.
After Taha Habroune in the 31st and Hugo Picard in the 56th staked the Crew to a 2-0 lead, Yeboah scored from corner-kick setups in the 59th and 66th minutes as Minnesota (6-3-2, 20 points) moved to 5-1-1 in their past seven matches.
The Crew (3-5-3, 12 points) had won two straight and looked to be cruising until their collapse, falling to 2-2-2 at home.
Habroune, the 20-year-old Homegrown player, worked a give-and-go in tight space with Max Arfsten at the top right corner of the box for his second career goal in 33 matches.
Arfsten heeled the ball to Habroune, who rocketed a shot to the upper right corner. Arfsten has three goals and four assists in the past seven matches.
Picard scored his first career goal in his 19th MLS match after having scored four goals in two U.S. Open Cup matches this season, including two vs. USL One club One Knoxville on Wednesday.
He scored on a rebound of his own shot that was blocked by Loons defender Jefferson Diaz.
The Minnesota rally started when Yeboah slid between two defenders and right-footed a flick by Markanich.
Yeboah made it 2-2 when he had an open header from a corner kick by Joaquin Pereyra. Of Yeboah’s seven goals, five have come on the road where the Loons are 4-2-1.
Minnesota’s Colombian international midfielder James Rodriguez did not play due to “a previously scheduled routine medical procedure — not related to any injury,” according to the club. He practiced Friday morning and will rejoin the team next week.
–Field Level Media
Pirates wreck Reds; tie MLB record for consecutive walks
Max Meyer, 2 relievers hold Phillies to 1 hit
