First start already at Farmers, Vijay Singh still eager, Charley Hull soon on YouTube. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion remains connected to the competing circuit but needs more family time, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. However, Koepka, known as a fierce competitor, reportedly lacks motivation in LIV events and initially joined in 2022 mainly due to injury concerns and to secure retirement funds. Questions linger about contract buyouts and his ownership status of LIV team Smash GC, now captained by Talor Gooch.
Speculation surrounds which tours Koepka will play next—DP World Tour, where he would be immediately eligible, possibly with penalties, or the PGA Tour, where a one-year suspension from his last LIV appearance was softened from an original lifetime ban issued by former Commissioner Jay Monahan. ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reports Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership and rejoin competition.
An eventual suspension would expire in August, coinciding roughly with the end of the 2026 PGA Tour season’s Tour Championship. By then, Koepka could compete in the 2027 season under the new PGA Tour schedule featuring nearly two dozen $20 million events with limited elite fields—a perfect scenario he is reportedly eager for. This move also appeals to PGA Tour Enterprises investors who would welcome a top name.
Jon Rahm recently told the \”Subpar\” podcast he believes Koepka will return to the PGA Tour, potentially playing minimally at first and selecting his preferred high-profile events. Rory McIlroy supports waiving Koepka’s suspension, a stance likely influencing the board and player directors, including the competition committee led by Tiger Woods.
Update: Koepka is immediately eligible for PGA Tour competition and will tee off at the Farmers Insurance Open in late January at Torrey Pines. He’s also confirmed for the WM Phoenix Open in Scottsdale, Arizona. This is enabled by the new \”Returning Member Program,\” introduced last Thursday, allowing select LIV players to rejoin the PGA Tour without suspension. Koepka’s 2023 PGA Championship win, his fifth major, was pivotal to this exception.
The PGA Tour statement notes this opportunity is limited to major and Players Championship winners from the past three years, with a deadline of February 2. CEO Brian Rolapp emphasized this is a unique situation, not setting a precedent. This development is expected to impact Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cam Smith, and create unease within LIV Golf.
As a condition, Koepka must donate $5 million to PGA Tour charity, is excluded from the 2026 FedEx Cup bonus system, and barred for five years from the capital participation program tied to PGA Tour Enterprises investors.
DeChambeau Confirms 2026 LIV Commitment
Meanwhile, Bryson DeChambeau officially confirmed his 2026 LIV Golf season participation with his Crushers team—including Charles Howell III, Paul Casey, and Anirban Lahiri—unchanged for the fifth season. No general