First start already at the Farmers; Vijay Singh eager to compete again; Charley Hull launching her own YouTube channel soon. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf League season starting February 7 in Riyadh. The five-time major champion will remain connected to the competing circuit but needs more time for family, according to a friendly agreement stated by LIV CEO Scott McNeil. However, Koepka, known for thriving in high-level competitive environments, had shown limited motivation at LIV. He switched in 2022 mainly due to injury concerns and to secure a retirement fund, so skipping his final contracted season is not surprising, though questions remain about potential buyouts or repayments and the status of his ownership in LIV team Smash GC, now captained by Talor Gooch.
Speculations abound about where Koepka will appear next: on the DP World Tour, where he would be immediately eligible—possibly with a penalty—or back on the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension after his last LIV start, following a significant softening of lifetime bans issued by former commissioner Jay Monahan. This critical question seems partly answered as ESPN reporter Mark Schlabach revealed Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, previously not extended after 2022.
Update: It has happened. On Monday evening local time, news rapidly spread that Koepka is immediately eligible again for the PGA Tour and will tee off at the Farmers Insurance Open in late January at Torrey Pines; participation in the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale, Arizona, is also confirmed. This was made possible by the newly created ‘Returning Member Program’ introduced the previous Thursday, which allows select LIV players to rejoin the PGA Tour without suspension. Koepka’s sporting merits, especially his 2023 PGA Championship win as his fifth major, were taken into account. The PGA Tour stated this special exemption applies to major and Players Championship winners from the last three years and expires February 2. PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp emphasized it’s a one-time, clearly defined opportunity with no guarantee for future cases. This development likely causes reflection among Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, Cam Smith, and discomfort within LIV Golf.
Koepka’s penalty is mild: a $5 million donation to the PGA Tour Charity, exclusion from the 2026 FedEx Cup bonus system, and a five-year ban from the PGA Tour’s equity program associated with PGA Tour Enterprises investors.
DeChambeau Confirms LIV Start for 2026
Meanwhile, Bryson DeChambeau officially confirmed he will compete in the LIV Golf League in 2026. His Crushers team, including Charles Howell III, Paul Casey, and Anirban Lahiri, will enter their fifth season unchanged. Interestingly, no general contract extension for DeChambeau was announced, raising speculation about behind-the-scenes arrangements to retain LIV’s most marketable and prominent player after Koepka’s departure.
Vijay Singh Returns to PGA Tour at 62
Surprising move: 62-year-old Vijay Singh is returning