First start already at the Farmers Insurance Open, Vijay Singh wants to play again, Charley Hull also soon on YouTube. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner will remain connected to the competing circuit but needs more time for his family. This was the amicable agreement, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. Koepka is a competitor who thrives on high-level competition, something he found limited in LIV. He initially joined LIV in 2022 as he feared his career might end due to injuries and sought to secure a solid retirement fund. Therefore, it is not surprising that he is skipping the last contractually obliged season, although questions remain about buyouts or repayments. He remains owner of LIV team Smash GC, now captained by Talor Gooch.
Speculations arise on which fairways Koepka will appear next. The DP World Tour would allow immediate eligibility, potentially with a fine, or the PGA Tour, from which he faces a one-year ban since his last LIV start after former Commissioner Jay Monahan reduced lifetime bans significantly. Why be vindictive when every returning LIV player benefits the dominant PGA Tour? ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reported Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership after 2022 and be reinstated to the player pool.
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Any ban would expire in August, coinciding with the Tour Championship ending the 2026 season. Koepka would then be eligible for 2027 when the PGA Tour introduces a revamped schedule featuring nearly two dozen $20 million events with limited, top-tier fields — a perfect comeback timing. PGA Tour Enterprises investors would welcome another big name.
Jon Rahm recently said on the podcast “Subpar”: \”He might need some time but I think he’ll return to the PGA Tour. He will probably play at least the minimum, and why not the tournaments he likes, the big ones. If he qualifies for or can enter top events, he would play those too.\” The player board and the competition committee led by Tiger Woods, who have a say in the ban, likely support Koepka’s return following Rory McIlroy’s recommendation and fan sentiment measured by a ‘Bunkered’ magazine survey.
Update: \”And perhaps they turned a blind eye for a five-time major winner in Ponte Vedra Beach\” — exactly that happened. News spread quickly in the evening that Koepka is immediately eligible to play on the PGA Tour, starting with the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in late January. Participation at the WM Phoenix Open in Scottsdale, Arizona is also confirmed. This is enabled by a newly introduced ‘Returning Member Program’ allowing selected LIV players to regain PGA Tour membership without a ban.
DeChambeau Confirms LIV Start for 2026
Bryson DeChambe