First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh is back on the PGA Tour, and Charley Hull is launching a YouTube channel. 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As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner will remain connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for his family. This was reportedly agreed upon amicably, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. However, Koepka is known as a competitive type who thrives in high-level sports conflicts, something he lacked in LIV. He joined LIV in 2022 mainly due to injury concerns threatening his career and to secure a good retirement fund. Thus, skipping the last contractually required season is unsurprising, although questions remain about buyouts or repayment of guaranteed money. He remains the owner of his LIV team Smash GC, which has appointed Talor Gooch as the new captain.
Speculations are rife about where Koepka will play next. On the DP World Tour, where he would be immediately eligible to play—possibly for a penalty fee? Or on the PGA Tour, where he would have to serve a one-year suspension since his last LIV event, after the former commissioner Jay Monahan reduced lifetime bans significantly? Why hold grudges when every LIV returnee, especially a high-profile one like Koepka, benefits the more powerful PGA Tour? This crucial question seems partially answered. According to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership that was not renewed after 2022 and to be reinstated as a tour player.
Any potential suspension would expire in August, coinciding with the end of the 2026 PGA Tour season at the Tour Championship from August 27-30. Koepka would be eligible to play in 2027 when the PGA Tour introduces its new schedule, featuring about two dozen $20 million tournaments with limited, top-tier player fields. The timing is perfect for a comeback, fitting Koepka’s style. PGA Tour Enterprises investors would likely welcome another marquee name.
\”He may need some time, but I think he will return to the PGA Tour,\” Jon Rahm recently said on the \”Subpar\” podcast. \”He will probably play at least the minimum, and why not the tournaments he likes, the big ones? If he can qualify or participate in high-profile events, he would play those too.\” Perhaps the five