First start at the Farmers, Vijay Singh is back, Charley Hull launching on YouTube soon. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion remains connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for his family. This was a friendly agreement according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. However, Koepka is a competitive type who thrives in high-level competition, which he found limited in LIV. In 2022, he left mainly because of injury concerns and to secure a solid retirement fund. Thus, skipping the last contractual season is unsurprising, though questions remain if he had to buy out his contract or repay part of his guaranteed salary. He remains the owner of LIV team Smash GC, which has appointed Talor Gooch as captain.
Speculations arise about where Koepka will play next: DP World Tour, where he would be eligible immediately possibly with a penalty? Or PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension from his last LIV appearance after the former lifelong bans were softened? Why seek revenge when every LIV returnee benefits the PGA Tour, which holds more leverage? This question seems partly answered. ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reports Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which was not extended after 2022.
A potential suspension would expire in August, coinciding with the 2026 season’s end at the Tour Championship from August 27-30. Koepka would be eligible for 2027 under the PGA Tour’s new schedule featuring about two dozen $20 million tournaments with limited top fields—perfect timing for his return, matching his preferences and appealing to PGA Tour Enterprises investors.
Jon Rahm recently told the podcast \”Subpar\”, \”He might need some time, but I think he will return to the PGA Tour. He will probably play at least the minimum, and why not the tournaments he likes, the big ones. If he qualifies or gets into these majors, he will play them too.\” There is speculation that the PGA Tour might overlook his suspension, given the endorsement of Rory McIlroy, who supports Koepka’s immediate return. The competition committee led by Tiger Woods also has a say.
Update: It happened as expected. On 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. His participation in the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona is also confirmed.
This was enabled by a new Thursday-created rule called the \”Returning Member Program,\” allowing selected LIV players to rejoin the PGA Tour without suspension. Koepka’s sporting merits were considered, especially his 2023 PGA Championship as his fifth major.
The PGA Tour statement notes this special rule applies to major winners and Players champions of the past three years and ends on February 2. \”This is a one-time, well-defined opportunity and does not set a precedent for future cases,\” said PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp