First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh returning, Charley Hull soon on YouTube. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the LIV Golf League for the 2026 season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner stays connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for family. This was reportedly agreed upon amicably, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil. However, Koepka is a competitive type who thrives on high-level competition, which he only partly found at LIV. He switched to LIV in 2022 mainly because he feared ending his career due to injury and wanted a solid retirement fund. So his skipping the final contract year is not surprising, though questions remain about buyout or repayment of guaranteed money. He remains owner of LIV team Smash GC, now captained by Talor Gooch.
Speculation grows on where Koepka will compete next. The DP World Tour could grant immediate playing rights, likely with a penalty. Or the PGA Tour, where he would serve a one-year suspension after his last LIV event, considering former commissioner Jay Monahan softened lifetime bans. It makes little sense to be vindictive if every high-profile LIV returnee strengthens the established Tour. According to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership and rejoin the player roster after not renewing in 2022.
Update: As it happened, on Monday evening news quickly spread that Koepka is immediately eligible to play on the PGA Tour and will compete at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in late January. His participation in the WM Phoenix Open in Scottsdale, Arizona, is also confirmed.
This is enabled by the newly introduced ‘Returning Member Program,’ allowing select LIV players to rejoin the PGA Tour without suspension. Koepka’s recent sporting merits, especially winning the 2023 PGA Championship, were considered.
The PGA Tour stated this special rule applies to major winners and Players’ champions from the last three years, ending February 2, and is a one-time opportunity without precedent. CEO Brian Rolapp emphasized no guarantee this pathway will reopen, a fact that will concern Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cam Smith, and unsettle LIV Golf.
Koepka’s penalty for switching to LIV is relatively mild: five million dollars to PGA Tour charity, a 2026 FedEx Cup bonus exclusion, and a five-year bar from the PGA Tour Enterprises capital participation program.
DeChambeau Confirms LIV Start for 2026
Meanwhile, Bryson DeChambeau officially confirmed he will compete in LIV Golf in 2026, leading his Crushers team with Charles Howell III, Paul Casey, and Anirban Lahiri into their fifth season. Interestingly, no general contract extension was announced, prompting speculation about behind-the-scenes deals to retain LIV’s most marketable player after Koepka’s departure.
Vijay Singh Returns to PGA Tour at 62
In a surprising move, three-time major winner Vijay Singh returns to the PGA Tour at age