First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh wants to give it another shot, 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As expected, Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner remains connected to the competing circuit but needs more time for his family, a friendly agreement announced by LIV CEO Scott McNeil states. However, Koepka is a competitive type, highly motivated only in top-level competition—a motivation somewhat lacking in LIV Golf. He had switched to the Saudi league in 2022 mainly due to injury concerns about his career and to secure a solid retirement fund. Hence, skipping the last contractually obligated season is not surprising, though questions remain about buyouts or salary repayments. Whether the 35-year-old remains an owner of his LIV team Smash GC, which named Talor Gooch as captain, is also unclear.
Speculations are rife about which tour Koepka will appear on next. On the DP World Tour, where he would be immediately eligible, possibly with a penalty? Or on the PGA Tour where he faced a one-year suspension after his last LIV appearance, following a significant easing of earlier lifetime bans by former commissioner Jay Monahan? This essential question seems partly answered: according to ESPN’s Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reinstate his PGA Tour membership discontinued after 2022.
The suspension would end in August, coinciding with the close of the 2026 season at the Tour Championship. Koepka would then be eligible for 2027, when the PGA Tour introduces a compressed schedule featuring nearly two dozen $20 million tournaments with highly competitive limited fields—a perfect timing for a return, fitting Koepka’s preferences. The investors behind PGA Tour Enterprises, presumably the new top league’s backers, would surely welcome a high-profile name like his.
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 and the big tournaments he likes. If he qualifies or can play in high-profile events, he will play those too.\” The suspension decisions involve the board, player directors, and Tiger Woods-led competition committee, who reportedly support Rory McIlroy’s recommendation to reinstate Koepka immediately.
Update: It has happened. The news spread rapidly Monday evening that Koepka is immediately eligible for the PGA Tour and will tee off at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in late January. His participation in the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale is also confirmed.
This is enabled by the newly created \”Returning Member Program,\” allowing selected LIV players to resume PGA Tour membership without suspension. Koepka’s impressive sporting merits, including the 2023 PGA Championship as his fifth major, were pivotal.
The PGA Tour states this special rule applies to major and