Brooks Koepka prepares for his first start at the Farmers, Vijay Singh returns, and Charley Hull launches her YouTube channel. The Back Nine.
Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting on February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner will remain connected to the rival circuit but needs more family time, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil. Koepka, known as a fierce competitor on the course, appeared less motivated during his time with LIV, having joined in 2022 when facing injury-plagued career uncertainties and seeking a substantial retirement fund. Questions remain whether he bought out of his last contract year or repaid guarantees. He remains the owner of the LIV team Smash GC, which has named Talor Gooch as captain.
Speculations are rife about where Koepka will next compete: the DP World Tour where he might play immediately, likely with a penalty, or the PGA Tour where he faces a one-year suspension after his last LIV appearance, following a reduction of initial lifetime bans. As reported by ESPN’s Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which had not been extended after 2022.
An eventual suspension would end in August, coinciding with the 2026 season finale at the Tour Championship (August 27-30). This timing aligns well with the PGA Tour’s new compressed schedule of about two dozen $20 million tournaments with exclusive fields, making 2027 an ideal time for Koepka’s return, which would also please PGA Tour Enterprises investors backing the new top league.
Jon Rahm recently said on the \”Subpar\” podcast, \”He might need some time, but I think he’ll come back to the PGA Tour. He’ll probably play at least the minimum and why not the big tournaments he likes? If he qualifies or is invited to premier events, he could play those, too.\” The PGA Tour, including player directors and the tiger Woods-led competition committee, holds influence over any suspension decisions and seems aligned with Rory McIlroy’s recommendation to allow Koepka’s immediate return.
Update: Koepka is now immediately eligible to play on the PGA Tour, with his appearance confirmed for the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in late January and the WM Phoenix Open in Scottsdale, Arizona.
This is possible under the new \”Returning Member Program\” established last Thursday, allowing select LIV players to waive suspensions. Koepka’s competitive achievements, especially his 2023 PGA Championship win, qualified him under this policy.
The PGA Tour states this special rule applies to major winners and Players champions from the past three years, expiring February 2. CEO Brian Rolapp emphasizes that this is a one-time, clearly defined opportunity without precedent for future cases.
This development likely concerns players like Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cam Smith and creates unease within the LIV Golf League.
Koepka’s penalty includes a $5 million donation to PGA Tour charity, exclusion from the