First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh keen to compete again, Charley Hull soon on YouTube. The Back Nine.
As expected: Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner remains connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for family. This was reportedly agreed upon amicably, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil. Koepka is a competitor who gets highly motivated by top-level competition, something he found limited in LIV. He joined LIV in 2022 mainly because injuries made him doubt continuing his career, aiming to secure a good pension fund retirement. Given this context, his waiver of the final contract year is not surprising, though questions remain. Did he buy out of his contract or repay part of his guaranteed fee? Does the 35-year-old remain owner of his LIV team Smash GC, which appointed Talor Gooch as new captain?
The main speculation is about which fairways Koepka will compete on next. The DP World Tour would allow immediate play rights, possibly with a penalty fee, or the PGA Tour, where he would serve a one-year suspension following his last LIV event after the former commissioner Jay Monahan softened the original lifetime bans. Why be vindictive when every returning LIV player—especially a prominent one—benefits the longer-established tour? Now this key question seems partly answered. According to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which was not extended after 2022, to rejoin the players’ ranks.
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Any suspension would expire in August, coinciding with the end of the 2026 season at the Tour Championship (August 27-30). Koepka would be eligible for 2027 when the PGA Tour rolls out its new calendar with nearly two dozen $20-million tournaments featuring limited, top-tier fields—ideal timing for his comeback. PGA Tour Enterprises’ investors likely welcome another high-profile name. \”He may need some time, but I think he will return to the PGA Tour,\” Jon Rahm recently said on the \”Subpar\” podcast. \”He’ll probably play at least the minimum and why not the tournaments he likes, the big ones? If he qualifies or gets invited to big events, he’ll play those too.\” Perhaps the PGA Tour will overlook the suspension for a five-time major champion. The decision involves the board, player directors, and the competition committee led by Tiger Woods, following Rory McIlroy’s recommendation to allow Koepka immediate play.
Update: It happened as expected. Monday evening local time, news spread rapidly that Koepka is once again immediately eligible for PGA Tour and will tee off at the Farmers Insurance Open late January at Torrey Pines. His participation at the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona is confirmed as well.
This was made possible by the newly created \”Returning Member Program\”,