First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh is back, Charley Hull soon on YouTube. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting on February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner will remain connected to the competing circuit but needs more family time, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s statement. Koepka is a competitor who thrives on high-level competition, which he found limited on LIV. Originally joining LIV in 2022 due to injury concerns and to secure a solid retirement fund, his choice to forgo the last contractual season raises questions about buyouts and his ongoing ownership of Smash GC, where Talor Gooch has become the new captain.
Speculation abounds about where Koepka will play next—DP World Tour eligibility is immediate, possibly with penalties, or the PGA Tour, where he currently faces a one-year suspension post-LIV participation, which has since been softened from a life ban. Notably, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, aiming to rejoin the player ranks.
Should the suspension expire in August alongside the 2026 season’s conclusion at the Tour Championship, Koepka would be eligible for 2027, coinciding with the PGA Tour’s revamped schedule featuring nearly two dozen $20 million tournaments with the most elite limited fields—an ideal comeback moment. Jon Rahm recently expressed belief in Koepka’s return, suggesting he might selectively participate in major events. The PGA Tour’s returning member policy, unofficially dubbed the ‘Koepka Clause,’ allows certain LIV players to rejoin without penalty, which Koepka has utilized, factoring his 2023 PGA Championship victory among his merits.
Update: Koepka’s reinstatement was confirmed Monday evening; he is immediately eligible and set to tee off at the Farmers Insurance Open in late January and the WM Phoenix Open in Arizona. The PGA Tour’s statement emphasizes this unique opportunity does not set precedent and requires major wins or Players Championship titles within three years. Koepka’s penalty includes a $5 million charitable donation and exclusion from the 2026 FedEx Cup bonus system and PGA Tour capital program.
DeChambeau Confirms LIV Start for 2026
Meanwhile, Bryson DeChambeau officially confirmed participation in the 2026 LIV Golf season with his Crushers team, alongside Charles Howell III, Paul Casey,