First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh aiming for a comeback, Charley Hull launching on YouTube soon. 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As expected, Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion remains connected to the competing circuit but needs more time for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 amicable agreement was stated by LIV CEO Scott McNeil. Koepka is a competitor who thrives in top-level competition, which he found limited in LIV. In 2022, he joined LIV mainly due to injury concerns and to secure a substantial retirement fund. Thus, skipping the last contractual season raises questions, including whether he had to buy out or return part of his guaranteed salary. He remains the owner of the LIV team Smash GC, now captained by Talor Gooch.
Speculations rise about where Koepka will next compete: the DP World Tour where he would be eligible immediately, possibly with a penalty, or the PGA Tour where he faces a one-year suspension from his last LIV event, following softened lifetime bans by former Commissioner Jay Monahan. Why be vindictive when every LIV returnee benefits the longer-leveraged Tour? This question seems partly answered. ESPN’s Mark Schlabach reported Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which was not renewed after 2022, to rejoin the players’ group.
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Koepka’s suspension would expire in August, coinciding with the end of the 2026 season at the Tour Championship. He would be eligible in 2027 under the PGA Tour’s new schedule featuring nearly two dozen $20 million events with limited, top fields – an ideal comeback time aligned with Koepka’s preference. PGA Tour Enterprises investors would welcome another marquee name.
\”He might need a little time, but I think he will return to the PGA Tour,\” said Jon Rahm recently on the Subpar podcast. \”He’ll probably at least play the minimum and why not the tournaments he likes, the big ones? If he qualifies or gets into big events, he’ll play those too.\” The competition committee led by Tiger Woods and player directors hold influence over suspensions, reportedly favoring Koepka’s return on Rory Mc