First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh back in action, Charley Hull soon on YouTube. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner remains connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for family. This friendly agreement was confirmed by LIV CEO Scott McNeil. However, Koepka is a competitive player who thrives on top-level competition, which he rarely found in LIV. Previously, in 2022, he joined the Saudi circuit mainly due to injury concerns and to secure a good retirement fund, so skipping the last contractual season is not surprising. Questions remain whether he had to buy out his contract partially or return part of his guaranteed money. Koepka, 35, still owns his LIV team Smash GC, which named Talor Gooch as the new captain.
Speculation arises about which fairways Koepka will play on next. He is immediately eligible to play on the DP World Tour—maybe with a penalty—or on the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension from his last LIV appearance, though lifetime bans by former commissioner Jay Monahan were eased. It makes sense not to be bitter since every prominent LIV returnee benefits the longer-established PGA Tour. ESPN’s Mark Schlabach reported that Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which had not been extended after 2022.
An eventual suspension would end in August, coinciding with the 2026 season finale at the Tour Championship August 27-30. Koepka would be eligible for 2027 when the PGA Tour launches a condensed schedule of about two dozen $20 million tournaments with limited, top-tier fields. The perfect timing for his return. PGA Tour Enterprises investors would also welcome such a prominent name.
Jon Rahm recently said on the \”Subpar\” podcast, \”He might need some time, but I think he’ll return to the PGA Tour. He’ll probably at least play the minimum and why not the big tournaments he likes. If he qualifies or gets invitations to top events, he would play those too.\” Perhaps the PGA Tour board, player directors, and Tiger Woods-led competition committee will show leniency toward the five-time major winner, especially given Rory McIlroy’s recommendation to allow Koepka immediate play.
Update: It happened just like that. 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 in late January. He is also confirmed for the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona.
This was made possible by the \”Returning Member Program,\” a rule created last Thursday allowing selected LIV players to resume PGA Tour membership without suspension. Koepka’s sporting merits, especially his 2023 PGA Championship win, were considered for this exception.
The PGA Tour states this special rule applies to major winners and Players champions from the past three years and expires on February 2. PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp emphasized \”this is a one-time, clearly defined opportunity