First start already at the Farmers; Vijay Singh wants to try again; Charley Hull soon launching on YouTube. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner will remain connected to the competing circuit but needs more time for his family. This was agreed upon amicably according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil. Koepka is known as a competitive type who thrives in high-level competition, which LIV did not fully provide. He initially joined LIV in 2022 due to injuries threatening his career and to secure a good retirement fund. Therefore, skipping his final contracted season is not surprising, though questions remain about financial arrangements and ownership of his LIV team Smash GC, now captained by Talor Gooch.
Speculation grows about which tour Koepka will play next – the DP World Tour, where he could play immediately possibly with a penalty, or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension since his last LIV event, after prior lifetime bans were softened. Why be spiteful when each returning LIV star strengthens the dominant established tours? ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reports Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which was not extended after 2022.
An eventual suspension would expire in August, coinciding with the end of the 2026 season. Koepka would then be eligible for 2027 under the PGA Tour’s new packed schedule featuring nearly two dozen $20 million tournaments with limited fields – an ideal comeback timing. This move would also please investors behind PGA Tour Enterprises, the likely backers of the new top league, welcoming a star of Koepka’s caliber.
Jon Rahm recently said in the \”Subpar\” podcast that Koepka might take some time but would return to the PGA Tour, probably playing the big events he enjoys. The player board and Tiger Woods-led competition committee, who influence suspension decisions, may overlook penalties for a five-time major winner following Rory McIlroy’s recommendation to let Koepka back immediately.
Update: It happened as predicted: On Monday evening local time, news spread rapidly that Koepka is now fully eligible to compete on the PGA Tour. He will tee off at the Farmers Insurance Open in late January at Torrey Pines and is confirmed for the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale, Arizona.
This is enabled by the newly created \”Returning Member Program,\” allowing select LIV players to regain PGA Tour membership without suspension. Koepka’s sporting merits, especially his 2023 PGA Championship win, were key factors.
The PGA Tour statement clarifies this special rule is for major and Players Championship winners of the past three years, valid until February 2. PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp stressed it is a one-time opportunity, not a precedent for future cases.
This probably worries Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cam Smith and causes unease in the LIV Golf League.
Koepka’s penalty for joining LIV is mild: a $