First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh back in action, Charley Hull soon on YouTube. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has officially opted out of the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner will remain connected to the rival circuit but needs more family time. This was reportedly a friendly agreement, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. Koepka is known as a competitor who thrives in high-level sporting battles, which he found limited at LIV. He initially joined LIV in 2022 partly due to injury concerns and to secure retirement earnings. Thus, skipping the final contract year is understandable, though questions remain about financial buyouts or repayments. The 35-year-old also remains owner of his LIV team, Smash GC, which has appointed Talor Gooch as captain.
Speculation surrounds which tour Koepka will compete on next. On the DP World Tour, he would be immediately eligible—likely with a penalty—or on the PGA Tour, where a one-year suspension stemming from his last LIV appearance applies, although the lifetime bans previously imposed have been significantly reduced. Allowing prominent LIV returnees back benefits the more established tour. According to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which had not been extended after 2022, to regain player status.
Any suspension would expire in August, coinciding with the end of the 2026 season at the Tour Championship (August 27-30). Koepka would then be eligible for 2027, when the PGA Tour plans a condensed schedule of about two dozen $20 million tournaments with limited, top-player fields—a perfect moment for his return. PGA Tour Enterprises investors would welcome such a marquee name. Jon Rahm recently said on the ‘Subpar’ podcast, \”He might need some time, but I think he will return to the PGA Tour. He’ll likely play at least the minimum, maybe the big events he likes. If he qualifies or is invited to the top tournaments, he would play those as well.\” The PGA Tour’s board, player directors, and Tiger Woods-led competition committee, who also decide on suspensions, might follow Rory McIlroy’s recommendation to allow Koepka’s immediate return.
Update: It happened just like that. Monday evening local time, news spread rapidly that Koepka is immediately eligible for PGA Tour play and will tee off at the Farmers Insurance Open in late January at Torrey Pines. His participation at the WM Phoenix Open in Scottsdale, Arizona, is also confirmed.
This was enabled by the newly established “Returning Member Program” announced the previous Thursday, allowing select LIV players to regain PGA Tour membership without suspension. Koepka’s sporting merits, notably his 2023 PGA Championship win as a fifth Major, were decisive.