First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh eager to compete again, Charley Hull launching a YouTube channel soon. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf League season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner remains connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for family. This was the amicable agreement according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s statement. However, Koepka is a competitor highly motivated by top-level competition, something he lacked at LIV. He switched to LIV in 2022 largely due to injury concerns about ending his career prematurely and to secure a solid retirement fund. Given that, his skipping the final contractual playing year is unsurprising, yet questions remain about potential buyout or repayment of guaranteed earnings. He is still reportedly owner of his LIV team Smash GC, which has named Talor Gooch as captain.
Speculation is rife about which fairways Koepka will soon appear on. The DP World Tour could welcome him immediately—possibly with a penalty—or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension since his last LIV appearance, after previous lifetime bans by former Commissioner Jay Monahan were softened significantly. There’s strategic sense in not being vengeful, as each returning LIV player—especially a big name—strengthens the tour that already holds the leverage. This key question seems partly answered: ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reports Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership that was not renewed after 2022.
Any suspension would expire in August, coinciding with the end of the 2026 season at the Tour Championship from August 27 to 30. Koepka would be eligible for 2027, its revamped schedule features nearly two dozen $20 million tournaments with limited, highly competitive fields—a perfect comeback opportunity matching Koepka’s style. PGA Tour Enterprises investors would surely welcome another major name on board.
\”He may need some time, but I think he’ll return to the PGA Tour,\” Jon Rahm recently remarked in the \”Subpar\” podcast. \”He’ll probably at least play the minimum, and why not play the tournaments he likes, the big ones? If he qualifies or gets invites to high-profile events, he’ll probably play those too.\” Perhaps the PGA Tour might overlook the suspension for a five-time major champion. Decisions involve the board, player directors, and the competition committee led by Tiger Woods—who along with Rory McIlroy supports Koepka’s immediate return. Fans too seem mostly supportive per a non-representative \”Bunkered\” magazine poll.
Update: That exact leniency appears to have happened. News spread rapidly that Koepka is immediately eligible to play on the PGA Tour and will tee off at the Farmers Insurance Open end of January at Torrey Pines. Participation at the WM Phoenix Open in TPC Scottsdale, Arizona, is already confirmed. This is enabled by a newly introduced \”Returning Member Program\” allowing select LIV players to rejoin the PGA Tour without suspension.
Bryson DeChambeau Confirms LIV Start in 2026
Bryson