First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh is making a comeback, and Charley Hull is launching a YouTube channel soon. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh. The five-time major winner will remain connected to the competing circuit but needs more time for family. This was agreed amicably, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. Koepka is a competitor who gets motivated and fired up primarily in high-level competition, which he had limited opportunities for in LIV. He joined LIV in 2022 mainly because injury made him consider ending his career, seeking a substantial retirement fund. Thus, skipping the last contracted season is not surprising, though questions remain about possible buyouts or partial refunding of guaranteed salaries. He remains the owner of LIV team Smash GC, with Talor Gooch as the new captain.
Speculation grows on where Koepka will next compete. On the DP World Tour, where he would be immediately eligible, possibly with a penalty? Or on the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension after his last LIV appearance, following the softening of lifetime bans instituted by former commissioner Jay Monahan? Why be vindictive when every LIV returnee plays into the hands of the more powerful Tour? According to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership not extended after 2022 and to be reinstated as a player.
An eventual suspension would expire in August, coinciding with the end of the 2026 season at the Tour Championship from August 27-30. Koepka would be eligible for 2027 when the PGA Tour introduces its compressed schedule of around two dozen $20 million events with highly selected fields. A perfect time for his comeback. PGA Tour Enterprises investors would also welcome another marquee name.
\”He might need some time, but I think he will return to the PGA Tour,\” Jon Rahm recently said on the \”Subpar\” podcast. \”He will probably at least play the minimum, and why not the events he likes, the big ones. If he qualifies for or is invited to top events, he’ll play those too.\” Perhaps the PGA Tour will be lenient with a five-time major winner—decision-makers include the board, player directors, and Tiger Woods-led competition committee, following Rory McIlroy’s recommendation to allow Koepka to play immediately.
Update: It’s official: Koepka is reinstated with immediate effect and will tee off at the Farmers Insurance Open late January at Torrey Pines. Participation at the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona is also confirmed.
This is possible thanks to the \”Returning Member Program,\” a new rule introduced last Thursday, allowing select LIV players to rejoin the PGA Tour without suspension. Koepka’s recent sports merits, especially his 2023 PGA Championship victory, were decisive.
The PGA Tour states this exemption applies to major winners and Players champions from the last three years, with the deadline February 2. \”This is a one-time, clearly defined opportunity and does not set a precedent for