First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh ready to compete again, Charley Hull launching on YouTube soon. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf League season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner remains connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for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 a mutually friendly agreement according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil. However, Koepka is a competitor who gets motivated and fired up primarily through high-level competition, something he lacked at LIV. He had joined LIV in 2022 mostly because injuries made him doubt continuing his career, and he wanted to secure a good retirement fund. So, skipping the last contractual season is not surprising though questions remain about buyouts or guarantees. The 35-year-old is still the owner of LIV team Smash GC, with Talor Gooch as the new captain.
Speculation is now rife about which fairways Koepka will appear on next. The DP World Tour, where he would be immediately eligible—perhaps with a penalty? Or the PGA Tour, where he would serve a one-year suspension from his last LIV event after lifetime bans imposed by former commissioner Jay Monahan were significantly relaxed? There is no need for vindictiveness when any prominent LIV returnee ultimately benefits the PGA Tour, which holds the upper hand anyway. This key question seems partially answered: 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 ranks.
An anticipated suspension would end in August. Although the 2026 season also concludes with the Tour Championship from August 27 to 30, Koepka would be eligible to play in 2027 under the PGA Tour’s newly compressed schedule featuring nearly two dozen $20 million events with limited, strong fields. The perfect time for a comeback, fitting Koepka’s style. PGA Tour Enterprises investors, likely backing the new top league, would surely welcome another big name.
\”He might need some time, but I think he’ll return to the PGA Tour,\” Jon Rahm recently said during the Subpar podcast. \”He’ll probably play at least the minimum, and why not the events he likes, the big ones? If he qualifies or gets invites to top events, he’ll play those as well.\” Maybe they will cut a bit of slack for a five-time major champion in Ponte Vedra Beach—decision power on suspensions lies with board members, player directors, and the competition committee led by Tiger Woods—and follows Rory McIlroy’s recommendation to let Koepka play immediately.
Update: It happened just like that. Monday evening local time, news spread rapidly 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. Participation at the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona is also confirmed.
This is enabled by the \”Returning Member Program,\” a rule created last Thursday allowing selected LIV players to regain PGA Tour membership without suspension. Koepka’s sporting merits, especially his