First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh is back in action, Charley Hull soon on YouTube. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season, which begins on February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner will stay connected to the competing circuit but needs more time for his family. This was amicably agreed upon, according to an official statement by LIV CEO Scott McNeil. Koepka is a competitor who thrives in top-level contests, which was somewhat limited with LIV. He joined LIV in 2022 mainly due to injury concerns about his career and to secure a decent retirement fund. Hence, his skipping the final contract year is not surprising, though questions remain about any buyout or repayments. He remains the owner of the LIV team Smash GC, which has already appointed Talor Gooch as the new captain.
Speculations soar about where Koepka will next play. The DP World Tour would grant immediate eligibility, likely with a penalty, or the PGA Tour, where he must serve a one-year suspension after his last LIV event, although previous lifetime bans by former commissioner Jay Monahan have been significantly relaxed. Why be vindictive when every LIV returnee serves the PGA Tour’s interests, especially a prominent player like Koepka? This key question seems partially answered now. According to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which was not renewed after 2022, to rejoin the player pool.
An eventual suspension would end in August, just as the 2026 season finishes with the Tour Championship from August 27 to 30. Koepka would then be eligible for 2027 under the PGA Tour’s new compact schedule featuring nearly two dozen $20-million tournaments with limited elite fields. A perfect re-entry time, fitting Koepka’s competitive nature. PGA Tour Enterprises investors would surely welcome another marquee name.
Jon Rahm recently said in 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 gets invitations for top events, he’d play those too.\” There might even be leniency towards the five-time major winner at Ponte Vedra Beach, where besides the board, player directors and the competition committee led by Tiger Woods have say on suspensions — following Rory McIlroy’s recommendation to allow Koepka to play immediately.
Update: The news spread rapidly Monday evening that Koepka is immediately eligible to play on the PGA Tour and will tee off at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines at the end of January. His participation at the WM Phoenix Open in Scottsdale, Arizona, is also confirmed.
This is enabled by the \”Returning Member Program,\” a new rule introduced last Thursday, allowing select LIV players to regain PGA Tour membership without suspension. Koepka’s sporting merits, including his 2023 PGA Championship victory as his fifth major, were considered.
The PGA Tour stated the special rule applies to major winners and Players champions from the past three years,