First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh wants to compete again, Charley Hull soon on YouTube. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka withdrew from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting on February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion intends to remain connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for family. This amicable agreement was stated officially by LIV CEO Scott McNeil. Koepka is a competitive type who thrives on high-level competition, something he only partially found at LIV. He switched to the Saudi-funded league in 2022 mainly because injuries made him doubt the continuation of his career, and he wanted to secure a substantial retirement income. Thus, skipping the final contractual season is not surprising, though questions remain about financial arrangements and his ownership status of the LIV team Smash GC, which appointed Talor Gooch as captain.
Speculation is rife about where Koepka will next appear. He would be immediately eligible on the DP World Tour, likely with a penalty payment, or on the PGA Tour, where he would have to sit out a one-year suspension following his last LIV appearance, after the formerly lifetime bans imposed by ex-Commissioner Jay Monahan were significantly relaxed. Why be vengeful when every LIV returnee, especially a high-profile one, benefits the longer-armed Tour? This question seems partly answered now. According to ESPN’s Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which had not been renewed after 2022, aiming to be reinstated among the players.
An eventual ban would expire in August, coinciding with the 2026 season’s end at the Tour Championship from August 27 to 30. Koepka would then be eligible for 2027 when the PGA Tour launches its new schedule of around two dozen $20-million tournaments with highly selected player fields — the perfect moment for a comeback, fitting Koepka’s style. PGA Tour Enterprises investors would surely welcome another drawcard name.
\”He may need some time, but I think he’ll return to the PGA Tour,\” Jon Rahm said recently in the ‘Subpar’ podcast. \”He’ll likely play at least the minimum and why not the tournaments he likes, the big ones. If he qualifies or gets invites to high-profile events, he’ll play those too.\” Perhaps the five-time major winner will get some leniency in Ponte Vedra Beach, where player directors and the competition committee led by Tiger Woods have a say on suspensions, following Rory McIlroy’s recommendation to allow Koepka back immediately.
Update: It happened just like that. On Monday evening local time, it spread like wildfire that Koepka is immediately eligible to play on the PGA Tour and will tee off at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines at the end of January. His participation at the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale, Arizona, is also confirmed.
This is made possible by the \”Returning Member Program,\” a rule created last Thursday allowing selected LIV players to rejoin the PGA Tour without suspension. Koepka’s sporting merits were indeed considered, particularly his 2023 PGA Championship win as his fifth major