First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh eager to compete again, Charley Hull launching on YouTube 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As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion will remain connected to the competing circuit but needs more time for family, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil. However, there is speculation about Koepka’s competitive drive, as he thrives in high-level competition, which he found limited in LIV. Koepka joined LIV in 2022 partly due to injury concerns and the opportunity for a secure retirement fund. Questions remain about financial terms and his ownership status of LIV team Smash GC, now captained by Talor Gooch.
Speculation grows about where Koepka will play next—possibly the DP World Tour where he would be immediately eligible, maybe with a penalty, or the PGA Tour, where he would face a one-year suspension following his last LIV appearance, although this ban has been significantly softened by the tour. An application filed last Friday to reinstate his PGA Tour membership after 2022 has been reported by ESPN’s Mark Schlabach, signaling his intent to rejoin the tour.
Any suspension would end in August, coinciding with the conclusion of the 2026 season at the Tour Championship from August 27-30. Koepka would be eligible for 2027 under the PGA Tour’s new condensed schedule featuring nearly two dozen $20 million events with limited elite fields—a perfect comeback timing. Jon Rahm recently expressed confidence Koepka will return to the PGA Tour, initially playing select big tournaments, with support from Rory McIlroy and the tour’s competition committee also potentially easing his suspension.
Update: It happened as expected. Monday evening local time, news spread rapidly that Koepka is immediately eligible to play on the PGA Tour and will tee off at the Farmers Insurance Open in late January at Torrey Pines, with participation in the WM Phoenix Open also confirmed. This is enabled by the \”Returning Member Program,\” a new provision allowing selected LIV players to rejoin the PGA Tour without suspension, considering Koepka’s recent merits including the 2023 PGA Championship win.
The PGA Tour stated this special rule applies only to major winners and Players Championship victors from the last three years, with a deadline of February 2. CEO Brian Rolapp affirmed that this is a one-time opportunity setting no precedent for future cases, potentially impacting other LIV players like Bryson DeChambeau and Cam Smith.
Koepka’s penalty for leaving LIV is mild: a $5 million donation to the PGA Tour charity fund, exclusion from 2026 FedEx Cup bonuses, and a five-year ban from the PGA Tour’s capital investment program linked to PGA Tour Enterprises.
DeChambeau Confirms LIV Start for 2026
Meanwhile, Bryson DeChambeau has officially confirmed he will compete in the LIV Golf League in 2026. His team, the Crushers featuring Charles Howell III, Paul Casey, and Anirban Lahiri, will enter their fifth season unchanged. However, DeChambeau has not announced a