First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh returning, Charley Hull launching on YouTube soon. The Back Nine.
Expected: Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the LIV Golf League season 2026 starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion will remain connected to the competing circuit but needs more time for family. This friendly agreement was officially announced by LIV CEO Scott McNeil. Koepka is a competitor who thrives on high-level challenges, which he experienced only moderately in LIV. He initially joined LIV in 2022 due to injury concerns and to secure a solid retirement payout. Thus, skipping the final contractual season is not surprising, though questions remain about contract buyouts or refunds. Koepka remains owner of LIV team Smash GC with Talor Gooch as captain.
Speculation grows on which tour Koepka will play next. The DP World Tour grants immediate eligibility, possibly with a penalty, while PGA Tour imposes a one-year suspension post-LIV participation, though life bans have been softened. Koepka formally applied last Friday to reinstate his PGA Tour membership after 2022 to rejoin the players’ roster, according to ESPN’s Mark Schlabach.
An eventual suspension would end in August, just as the 2026 season concludes with the Tour Championship from August 27-30. Koepka would then be eligible for 2027 under the PGA Tour’s compressed top-tier schedule of about two dozen $20 million tournaments with limited elite fields — an ideal time for his return. PGA Tour Enterprises investors would welcome his presence. Jon Rahm recently said on the ‚Subpar‘ podcast that Koepka will likely return, at least playing minimum events he enjoys, including majors. PGA board members, player directors, and Tiger Woods-led competition committee hold influence on suspensions and reportedly follow Rory McIlroy’s support for Koepka’s immediate play eligibility.
Update: On Monday evening local time, it was widely announced 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. His participation at the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona is also confirmed.
This was made possible by the newly created ‚Returning Member Program‘ allowing select LIV players to resume PGA Tour membership without suspension. Koepka’s sporting merits, especially the 2023 PGA Championship as his fifth major, were considered.
The PGA statement says the special rule applies to major winners and Players Championship winners from the last three years and ends February 2. ‚This is a one-time, clearly defined opportunity and does not set precedent for future cases,‘ said PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp. This may give Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cam Smith pause and unsettle LIV Golf League.
Koepka’s penalty for joining LIV is mild: a $5 million donation to the PGA Tour charity fund, exclusion from the 2026 FedEx Cup bonus system and exclusion for five years from PGA Tour Enterprises’ equity program supported by investor capital.