First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh making a comeback, Charley Hull launching a YouTube channel soon. 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As expected, Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion remains connected to the rival circuit but needs more family time. This was amicably agreed upon, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. Koepka is a competitor who thrives on top-level sporting challenges, which he experienced only moderately at LIV. He switched to the Saudi-backed league in 2022 mainly due to injury concerns about ending his career early and to secure a retirement fund. Given this, his decision to skip the final contracted season is not surprising, though questions remain about whether he had to buy out his contract or repay guaranteed earnings. He also remains owner of the LIV team Smash GC, which recently appointed Talor Gooch as new captain.
Speculation is rife about which tours Koepka will appear on next. On the DP World Tour, where he would be immediately eligible—likely with a penalty? Or on the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension from his last LIV participation after prior lifetime bans by former commissioner Jay Monahan were significantly reduced? It seems vindictive not to welcome prominent LIV returnees back on the PGA Tour, a move that benefits the already dominant organization. ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reported that last Friday, Koepka formally applied to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which had not been renewed after 2022, to rejoin the playing field.
Update: The news spread fast Monday evening: Koepka is immediately eligible to compete on the PGA Tour and will tee off at the Farmers Insurance Open late January at Torrey Pines, with confirmed participation at the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona.
This became possible thanks to the newly introduced \”Returning Member Program,\” which allows selected LIV players to regain PGA Tour membership without suspension. Koepka’s case notably accounts for his sporting achievements, especially his 2023 PGA Championship victory, his fifth major.
The PGA Tour stated this special rule applies to major winners and Players Championship victors of the last three years, with the deadline February 2. PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp emphasized this is a one-time, clearly defined opportunity, setting no precedent for future cases. This move gives food for thought to players like Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cam Smith, and unsettles the LIV Golf League.
Koepka’s penalty for joining LIV is modest: a $5 million donation to the PGA Tour charity fund, exclusion from the 2026 FedEx Cup bonus system, and a five-year ban from the PGA Tour’s equity program funded by investor contributions to PGA Tour Enterprises.
DeChambeau Confirms LIV Return for 2026
Meanwhile, Bryson DeChambeau officially announced his participation in the 2026 LIV Golf League. His Crushers team, including Charles Howell III, Paul Casey, and Anirban Lahiri, will enter their fifth season unchanged. Interestingly, DeChambeau did not confirm a contract extension