First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh wants to compete again, Charley Hull soon on YouTube. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion remains connected to the competing circuit but needs more time for family. This was a mutual agreement, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil. Koepka is a competitor who thrives on top-level competition, which he found limited at LIV. He mainly joined LIV in 2022 due to injuries threatening his career and to secure a solid retirement fund. Thus, his skipping the last contract year is not surprising, though questions persist about buyout details and his continued ownership of LIV team Smash GC, now captained by Talor Gooch.
Speculations abound on which tours Koepka will play next. He would be immediately eligible on the DP World Tour, possibly with a penalty, or on the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension after his last LIV appearance, following the reduction of previous lifetime bans by former Commissioner Jay Monahan. Rather than being vindictive, the PGA Tour appears to welcome prominent LIV returnees. ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reported Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership and rejoin the player pool.
An expected suspension would end in August, coinciding with the close of the 2026 season. Koepka would be eligible for 2027 under the PGA Tour’s new schedule of nearly two dozen $20-million tournaments with limited elite fields—the perfect comeback timing. PGA Tour Enterprises investors would likely welcome another strong name.
Jon Rahm recently said on the \”Subpar\” podcast, \”He may take some time, but I think he’ll return to the PGA Tour. He’ll probably play at least the minimum and the events he likes, especially the big ones. If he can qualify or enter high-profile tournaments, he’ll play those too.\” The player directors and Tiger Woods–led competition committee, who also have say in suspensions, reportedly support reinstating Koepka, following Rory McIlroy’s recommendation.
Update: Koepka is now immediately eligible to play on the PGA Tour and will tee off at the Farmers Insurance Open late January at Torrey Pines. He is also confirmed for the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale, Arizona.
This is thanks to the \”Returning Member Program,\” a rule introduced last Thursday allowing select LIV players to regain PGA Tour membership without suspension. Koepka’s recent major accomplishments, notably the 2023 PGA Championship, were key considerations.
The PGA Tour’s statement notes this special rule applies to major and Players winners within the past three years and expires February 2. CEO Brian Rolapp emphasized it’s a one-time opportunity without precedent for future cases, offering no guarantee such pathways will reopen, a development stirring thoughts among Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cam Smith, and causing unease in LIV Golf.
Koepka’s penalty for joining LIV is lenient: a $5 million donation to PGA Tour charity, exclusion