First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh eager to compete again, Charley Hull launching on YouTube soon. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season, which begins on February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner remains connected to the competing circuit but needs more time for his family. This was amicably agreed upon, according to an official statement from LIV CEO Scott McNeil. Koepka is a competitor who thrives on high-level competition and gets fired up in battles, something he found limited in LIV. He switched to the Saudi-backed league in 2022 mainly because injuries threatened his career’s end and he wished to secure a solid retirement fund. Hence, skipping the final contractual season is not surprising, although questions remain. Did he buy out of the contract or repay part of his guaranteed salary? Does the 35-year-old still own his LIV team Smash GC, which recently named Talor Gooch as the new captain?
Speculation is rife about which fairways Koepka will soon appear on: the DP World Tour, where he would be immediately eligible possibly with a penalty, or the PGA Tour, where he would serve a one-year suspension since his last LIV appearance after former commissioner Jay Monahan reduced lifetime bans? Why hold grudges when every LIV returnee, especially a prominent one like Koepka, benefits the established Tour greatly? This critical question seems partially answered. According to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which had not been renewed after 2022, and to rejoin the player pool.
Any suspension would end in August, coinciding with the conclusion of the 2026 season at the Tour Championship from August 27–30. Koepka would be eligible for 2027 under the PGA’s condensed schedule of nearly two dozen $20 million tournaments with fully limited elite fields—a perfect timing for a comeback, fitting Koepka’s preferences. PGA Tour Enterprises investors, likely the new top league’s backers, would welcome a strong name like his.
“He might need some time, but I think he’ll return to the PGA Tour,” said Jon Rahm in a recent \”Subpar\” podcast interview. “He’ll probably play at least the minimum, and why not the tournaments he enjoys, especially the big ones? If he qualifies or gets invited to top events, he’ll play those too.” Possibly, the PGA Tour might ease his suspension — the decision involves the board, player directors, and the Tiger Woods-led competition committee — and follows Rory McIlroy’s recommendation to let Koepka play immediately.
Update: The news spread quickly Monday evening local time that Koepka is immediately eligible to play on the PGA Tour and will tee off at the Farmers Insurance Open in late January at Torrey Pines. His participation at the WM Phoenix Open in TPC Scottsdale, Arizona, is also confirmed.
This was made possible by the \”Returning Member Program\” established last Thursday, allowing selected LIV players to regain PGA Tour membership without suspension. Koepka’s sporting merits, particularly his 2023 PGA