First start at the Farmers, Vijay Singh returns, Charley Hull launching a YouTube channel. The Back Nine.
Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner intends to remain connected to the rival circuit but requires more time with his family. LIV CEO Scott McNeil stated this was a mutual agreement. Koepka is widely known as a competitor who thrives on high-level contests, something he found less at LIV. In 2022, he joined LIV mainly due to injuries threatening his career and to secure a solid retirement fund. Given this context, forgoing his last contracted season is not surprising, though questions remain about buyouts or refunds. He remains the owner of LIV team Smash GC, now captained by Talor Gooch.
Speculation mounts on which tours Koepka will compete next: the DP World Tour, where he would be eligible immediately possibly with a penalty, or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension after his last LIV appearance, but the lifetime bans imposed by former Commissioner Jay Monahan have been softened. Returning stars like Koepka serve the PGA Tour’s interests well. According to ESPN’s Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which was not renewed after 2022.
Any suspension would expire in August, coinciding with the end of the 2026 season after the Tour Championship from August 27-30. Koepka would be eligible for 2027, aligning perfectly with the PGA Tour’s revamped schedule of around two dozen $20 million events with limited elite fields, ideal for Koepka’s comeback. PGA Tour Enterprises investors would welcome another high-profile name.
Jon Rahm recently expressed in the \”Subpar\” podcast that Koepka will likely return to the PGA Tour, perhaps playing selectively the events he prefers, especially the big ones. The PGA Tour’s board, player representatives, and the competition committee led by Tiger Woods, reportedly favor a lenient approach, supported by Rory McIlroy’s recommendation for Koepka’s immediate return.
Update: Koepka is now officially eligible to compete on the PGA Tour and will tee off at the Farmers Insurance Open in late January at Torrey Pines. He is also confirmed for the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona. This was enabled by a new rule called the \”Returning Member Program,\” created last