First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh eager to compete again, Charley Hull soon launching her YouTube channel. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has officially opted out of the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner remains connected to the competing circuit but needs more family time. This was mutually agreed upon, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil. Koepka is a competitor who thrives on high-level competition, which was somewhat limited during his LIV tenure. Having joined LIV in 2022 mainly due to injury concerns and to secure a comfortable retirement fund, his decision to forgo the final contract year is unsurprising, though questions remain about buyout terms and his ownership of LIV team Smash GC, now captained by Talor Gooch.
The real speculation surrounds where Koepka will play next – on the DP World Tour, which could grant immediate eligibility possibly with a penalty, or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension following his last LIV start after former Commissioner Jay Monahan softened the lifetime bans. Why be vindictive when premier LIV returnees benefit the PGA Tour? ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reported that Koepka recently filed a formal application to reactivate his PGA Tour membership for 2023 onwards.
An imposed suspension would expire by August, aligning with the end of the 2026 season and positioning Koepka to participate in 2027’s compressed schedule of nearly two dozen $20-million events with top-tier fields – an ideal comeback moment. PGA Tour Enterprises investors would welcome this marquee name addition.
Jon Rahm recently remarked on the Subpar podcast, \”He might need some time, but I believe he will return to the PGA Tour. He’ll likely play minimum events but would compete in the tournaments he likes, especially the big ones. If he qualifies or gains entry to elite events, I’m sure he’ll play those too.\” The decision-makers, including player directors and the Tiger Woods-led competition committee in Ponte Vedra Beach, may overlook the suspension for a five-time major champion, following Rory McIlroy’s support for Koepka’s immediate return.
Update: News broke quickly Monday evening local time that Koepka is eligible to compete on the PGA Tour immediately, with confirmed participation in the Farmers Insurance Open late January at Torrey Pines, and the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale, Arizona.
This is enabled by the \”Returning Member Program,\” introduced last Thursday, allowing selected LIV players to rejoin the PGA Tour without suspension, recognizing sporting merits such as Koepka’s 2023 PGA Championship victory. PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp emphasizes this as a one-time, well-defined opportunity expiring February 2, with no guarantees for future cases, causing reflection among Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cam Smith, and some unrest within LIV Golf.
Koepka’s penalty for his LIV defection is relatively light: a $5 million charity contribution to the PGA Tour, exclusion from the 2026 FedEx Cup bonus system, and a five-year ban from the PGA Tour Enterprises equity program funded by investor capital.