First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh aiming for a comeback, Charley Hull soon on YouTube. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion stays connected to the competing circuit but needs more family time. According to LIV CEO Scott McNeil, this was amicably agreed upon. However, Koepka is known as a competitor who thrives on high-level competition, which LIV only somewhat provided. He joined LIV in 2022 mainly because of injury concerns and to secure a substantial retirement fund. Thus, his waiver of the final contractual season is not surprising, though questions remain about his financial arrangements and ownership status with his LIV team Smash GC, now captained by Talor Gooch.
Speculations arise about which fairways Koepka will appear on next: the DP World Tour, where he could play immediately possibly for a penalty, or the PGA Tour, where he would face a one-year suspension after his last LIV event, following reduced lifetime bans previously handed down. Returning to the PGA Tour benefits the Tour and its players, especially prominent LIV returnees. According to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership and return to the playing field.
Any suspension would end in August, coinciding with the Tour Championship concluding the 2026 season. This timing would make Koepka eligible to play in 2027 under the PGA Tour’s compressed schedule of about two dozen $20 million events with limited, top-tier fields — a perfect timing for a comeback suiting Koepka’s style. PGA Tour Enterprises investors would also welcome another prominent name. Jon Rahm recently said on the podcast \”Subpar\” that Koepka will likely return, initially playing at least the minimum, preferring the big events he likes. The PGA Tour’s board, player directors, and competition committee led by Tiger Woods, following Rory McIlroy’s recommendation, might even ease restrictions for the five-time major winner.
Update: It has happened: news spread quickly Monday evening local time that Koepka is immediately eligible to play on the PGA Tour and will tee off at the Farmers Insurance Open end of January at Torrey Pines. His participation at the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona is also confirmed.
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