First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh eager for more, Charley Hull soon on YouTube. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf League season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion remains connected to the competing circuit but needs more time for his family. According to LIV CEO Scott McNeil, the decision was mutually agreed upon. However, Koepka is a competitive type who thrives in top-level sporting challenges, something he only partially experienced at LIV. He initially joined LIV in 2022 primarily due to injury concerns and to secure a comfortable retirement fund. Hence, skipping the last contractual season is not surprising, although questions remain about possible buyouts or repayments of guaranteed fees. It is also unclear if the 35-year-old remains owner of his LIV team Smash GC, which has already appointed Talor Gooch as the new captain.
Speculations abound on where Koepka will next compete — the DP World Tour, where he would be immediately eligible, possibly with a penalty, or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension after his last LIV event, a sanction softened from the former life bans under Commissioner Jay Monahan. However, returning LIV players, especially high-profile ones, generally benefit the stronger PGA Tour. This critical question seems partly answered: according to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which was not renewed after 2022, to rejoin the player roster.
An eventual suspension would end in August, coinciding with the end of the 2026 season at the Tour Championship from August 27-30. Koepka would then be eligible for 2027, coinciding with the PGA Tour’s new condensed schedule of nearly two dozen $20 million tournaments with limited and highly competitive fields — a perfect time for a comeback, fitting Koepka’s style. Investors in PGA Tour Enterprises would also welcome another strong name.
\”He might need some time, but I think he will return to the PGA Tour,\” recently said Jon Rahm on the ‘Subpar’ podcast. \”He will probably play at least the minimum, and why not the tournaments he likes, the big ones? If he qualifies for high-profile events, he would likely compete in those too.\” There’s even speculation that the PGA Tour might be lenient with Koepka’s suspension — the decision power lies with the board, player directors, and the competition committee led by Tiger Woods, who follow Rory McIlroy’s recommendation to let Koepka play immediately.
Update: As it happened, news quickly spread Monday evening local time that Koepka is immediately eligible for 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 is also confirmed.
This is made possible by a new rule called the \”Returning Member Program,\” created last Thursday, allowing selected LIV players to regain PGA Tour membership without suspension. In Koepka’s case, his sporting merits, particularly the 2023 PGA Championship as a fifth major, were considered.