First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh wants to give it another go, Charley Hull soon on YouTube. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season, which begins on February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner will remain connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for his family. This was amicably agreed upon, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. However, Koepka is a competitor who thrives on high-level competition, which he only partially found at LIV. He had initially joined LIV in 2022 mainly due to injury concerns and to secure a solid retirement fund. Therefore, his decision to forgo the final contractual season is not surprising, though some questions remain about buyouts or guarantees. He also remains the owner of his LIV team Smash GC, where Talor Gooch has been named captain.
Speculations arise about which tours Koepka will appear on next. He would be immediately eligible on the DP World Tour, likely with a penalty, or return to the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension following LIV participation, which has been mitigated from a lifetime ban. The PGA Tour appears keen to welcome back prominent LIV returnees. According to ESPN’s Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which was not extended after 2022.
An existing suspension would expire in August 2026, coinciding with that season’s Tour Championship. Koepka would be eligible to play in 2027 under the PGA Tour’s new schedule featuring about two dozen $20 million tournaments with limited, elite fields—an ideal entry point. Investors in PGA Tour Enterprises would welcome such a high-profile name.
Jon Rahm recently expressed confidence Koepka would return, expecting him to start with minimal events and then gradually play the big tournaments he favors. The PGA Tour’s leadership, including player directors and the Tiger Woods-led competition committee, appear inclined to accommodate Koepka’s early return, following Rory McIlroy’s support.
Update: It has come to pass that Koepka is immediately eligible to play on the PGA Tour and will tee off at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in late January. His participation at the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale is also confirmed. This was enabled by a new \”Returning Member Program\” rule created last Thursday that allows select LIV players to rejoin the PGA Tour without suspension, recognizing Koepka’s sporting achievements, notably his 2023 PGA Championship victory.
The PGA Tour states this exemption applies to major and Players winners from the past three years and expires on February 2. CEO Brian Rolapp emphasized this is a one-time opportunity with no guarantee of recurrence. This may concern other LIV players like Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cam Smith regarding the LIV Golf League.
Koepka’s penalty for his LIV participation is relatively lenient: a $5 million donation to PGA Tour charities, exclusion from the 2026 FedEx Cup bonus system, and a five-year exclusion from the PGA Tour Enterprises equity program.