First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh eager to compete again, Charley Hull soon on YouTube. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf League season starting February 7 in Riyadh. The five-time major winner will remain connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for his family, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. However, Koepka, known as a competitive spirit, showed limited motivation in LIV events. He initially joined LIV in 2022 during an injury-plagued career phase, seeking a secure retirement fund. Questions remain whether he had to buy out of his contract or return part of his guaranteed salary. Koepka remains the owner of the LIV team Smash GC, which recently appointed Talor Gooch as captain.
Speculations are rife about where Koepka will compete next. He would be immediately eligible for the DP World Tour, potentially facing a penalty, or return to the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension post his last LIV event. The lifetime bans imposed by former commissioner Jay Monahan have been significantly softened. According to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership that lapsed after 2022.
An eventual suspension would expire in August, coinciding with the 2026 season end at the Tour Championship. Koepka would be eligible for the 2027 season, which introduces the PGA Tour’s compressed schedule of about two dozen $20 million events with limited, highly competitive fields—an ideal comeback timing. This move would also please investors in PGA Tour Enterprises, the new league’s backers.
Jon Rahm recently expressed optimism in the ‘Subpar’ podcast, saying Koepka may take some time but will return to the PGA Tour, likely playing minimum events and his preferred big tournaments. The PGA Tour’s player directors and competition committee, led by Tiger Woods, have influence on suspension decisions and apparently support Rory McIlroy’s recommendation to reinstate Koepka.
Update: The news broke quickly Monday evening that Koepka is immediately eligible to compete on the PGA Tour, teeing off at the Farmers Insurance Open in late January at Torrey Pines. His participation in the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale is also confirmed.
This is possible due to the ‘Returning Member Program,’ a new rule created last Thursday allowing select LIV players to regain PGA Tour membership without suspension. Koepka’s 2023 PGA Championship win, his fifth major, was a key merit considered.
The PGA Tour states the exemption applies to major and Players Championship winners from the past three years, with a deadline of February 2. PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp emphasizes this is a unique, clearly defined opportunity not setting a precedent for the future. This development may concern Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cam Smith and cause unease within LIV Golf League.
Koepka’s penalty for crossing to LIV is mild: a $5 million donation to PGA Tour charity, exclusion from the 2026 FedEx Cup bonus