First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh wants to give it another try, Charley Hull soon on YouTube. The Back Nine.
As expected: Brooks Koepka has officially opted out of the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner stays connected to the rival circuit but needs more family time. This was a mutual friendly agreement, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s statement. Koepka is a competitive type who thrives on high-level competition, which he found limited in LIV. Having joined LIV in 2022 due to injury concerns and to secure a solid retirement fund, his exclusion from the last contract year is not surprising, though questions remain about financial terms and his ownership status of LIV team Smash GC, which named Talor Gooch as the new captain.
Speculation grows about which tour Koepka will appear on next: DP World Tour, where he would be eligible to play immediately possibly paying a penalty; or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension after his last LIV participation, with previous lifetime suspensions significantly relaxed. According to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reinstate his PGA Tour membership, which was not renewed after 2022.
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Any suspension would end in August, coinciding with the end of the 2026 season at the Tour Championship from August 27-30. Koepka would then be eligible for 2027, aligning perfectly with the PGA Tour’s new schedule of about two dozen $20 million tournaments with limited, elite fields—a perfect re-entry for Koepka. This move benefits PGA Tour Enterprises investors as well.
\”He might need some time, but I think he’ll return to the PGA Tour,\” said Jon Rahm recently on the \”Subpar\” podcast. \”He will probably play the minimum and the tournaments he likes, the big ones. If he qualifies for other big events, he’ll participate too.\” The PGA Tour’s board, player directors, and Tiger Woods-led competition committee, influenced by Rory McIlroy’s recommendation, may waive suspension for the five-time major champ.
Update: It happened as predicted. Monday evening local time, news spread rapidly that Koepka is immediately eligible for PGA Tour play and will tee off at the Farmers Insurance Open in late January at Torrey Pines. Participation at the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale is also confirmed.
This is enabled by the newly introduced \”Returning Member Program,\” allowing select LIV players to rejoin the PGA Tour without suspension, based on recent achievements like Koepka’s 2023 PGA Championship win.
The PGA Tour statement clarifies this special rule applies to major and Players winners from the past three years and expires February 2. \”This is a one-time opportunity and does not set a precedent,\” said PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp. This development is likely unsettling for players like