First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh is back, and Charley Hull soon on YouTube. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf League season, starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion stays connected with the competing circuit but needs more family time. This was agreed upon amicably, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. Koepka, a competitor who thrives on top-level competition, found limited motivation at LIV. His 2022 move to the Saudi-backed league was mainly to secure a retirement fund due to injury concerns. Questions remain whether Koepka had to buy out his final contract year or repay part of his guaranteed salary. He still owns the LIV team Smash GC, now led by captain Talor Gooch.
Speculation surrounds which tours Koepka will return to next: the DP World Tour, where he would be immediately eligible (possibly with a penalty), or the PGA Tour, where he must serve a one-year suspension following his last LIV event, as lifetime bans imposed by ex-Commissioner Jay Monahan have been significantly softened. This major question seems partly answered. According to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership not extended after 2022 and rejoin the player roster.
Any suspension would expire 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, when the PGA Tour launches a compressed schedule of about two dozen $20 million tournaments with limited top-ranked fields—the perfect opportunity for his comeback. PGA Tour Enterprises’ investors would welcome another big name in this premier league.
Jon Rahm recently said on the podcast ‘Subpar’, \”He might need some time, but I believe he’ll return to the PGA Tour. He’ll probably play at least the minimum, the events he likes, the big ones. If he qualifies for or is invited to elite events, he will compete.\” It’s possible the PGA Tour will be lenient with the five-time major winner in Ponte Vedra Beach, where Tiger Woods leads the competition committee and player directors also weigh in—following Rory McIlroy’s recommendation to reinstate Koepka immediately.
Update: Exactly that happened. 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. His participation in the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona is also confirmed.
This was enabled by the recently created \”Returning Member Program,\” allowing select LIV players to rejoin the PGA Tour without suspension. Koepka’s sporting merits—including his 2023 PGA Championship win as a fifth major—were considered.
The PGA Tour statement says this exemption applies to major winners and Players Championship victors of the past three years, with a deadline of February 2. \”This is a one-time, clearly defined opportunity and not a precedent for future cases,\” stated PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp. This will certainly