First start at the Farmers, Vijay Singh returns, Charley Hull 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As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion remains connected to the competing circuit but needs more family time. LIV CEO Scott McNeil stated this was agreed upon amicably. However, Koepka is known as a competitor who thrives on top-level contests, which he lacked at LIV. He switched to LIV in 2022 mainly for financial security after injury concerns. Speculation remains whether he had to buy out his contract or repay guarantee money, and whether he still owns his LIV team, Smash GC, now captained by Talor Gooch.
Speculations intensify about which tours Koepka will join next – DP World Tour, possibly with a penalty, or PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension since his last LIV event. Former lifetime bans have been significantly softened. ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reported Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership and rejoin the player pool.
Potential suspension would expire in August, after the 2026 season ends with the Tour Championship. Koepka would be eligible for 2027, coinciding with the PGA Tour’s compressed schedule of roughly two dozen $20 million events featuring limited elite fields – a perfect timing for his comeback. This move would also appeal to investors in PGA Tour Enterprises. Jon Rahm recently expressed confidence Koepka would return to the PGA Tour, likely playing minimum events and the majors he prefers. The decision involves the Players’ Board and the committee led by Tiger Woods, with Rory McIlroy recommending an immediate return.
Update: It happened as expected. On Monday evening local time, news spread rapidly that Koepka is immediately eligible to play on the PGA Tour and will tee off at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines at the end of January. His participation at the WM Phoenix Open in Arizona’s TPC Scottsdale is also confirmed.
This was enabled by a Thursday-introduced rule called the \”Returning Member Program,\” allowing selected LIV players to resume PGA Tour membership without suspension. Koepka’s sports merits, particularly his 2023 PGA Championship victory as his fifth major, were key considerations.
The PGA Tour statement says the special rule applies to major champions and Players winners from the past three years, with a deadline of February 2. CEO Brian Rolapp called it a one-time opportunity without precedent. This likely unsettles Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cam Smith, and causes concern at LIV Golf.
Koepka’s penalty for joining LIV is moderate: a $5 million donation to PGA Tour charity, exclusion from the 2026 FedEx Cup bonus system, and a five-year suspension from the PGA Tour’s equity program involving investor funds.
DeChambeau Confirms LIV Golf Start for 2026
Meanwhile, Bryson DeChambeau officially confirmed his participation in the 2026 LIV Golf season. His