First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh back in action, Charley Hull soon on YouTube. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7th in Riyadh; the five-time major winner will stay connected to the competing circuit but needs more time with his family. This was a mutual agreement, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeill’s official statement. However, Koepka is a competitor motivated by high-level competition, which he found limited at LIV. He initially joined LIV in 2022 due to injury concerns about his career and securing a good retirement fund. Questions remain about whether he had to buy out of his contract or repay part of his guaranteed salary. He remains owner of LIV team Smash GC, now captained by Talor Gooch.
Speculation swirls about which fairways Koepka will play next: DP World Tour, where he’d be immediately eligible possibly with a penalty, or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension since his last LIV appearance, after previous lifetime bans were softened. Why be vengeful when prominent LIV returnees benefit the PGA Tour? ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reported Koepka officially applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which was not renewed after 2022.
If the ban ends in August, Koepka would be eligible for the 2027 season, perfectly timed with the new PGA Tour schedule featuring about two dozen $20 million-plus tournaments with limited, highly competitive fields—ideal for a comeback. PGA Tour investors would welcome such a big name. Jon Rahm recently expressed confidence in Koepka’s return on the ‘Subpar’ podcast, predicting Koepka would play selectively but participate in major events, possibly receiving leniency from the PGA Tour leadership, including Tiger Woods-led competition committee and player directors, following Rory McIlroy’s support.
Update: This is exactly what happened. Monday evening local time, it spread rapidly that Koepka is now immediately eligible to play on the PGA Tour and will tee off at the Farmers Insurance Open in late January at Torrey Pines. He is also confirmed for the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale, Arizona.
Made possible by a new rule called the ‘Returning Member Program,’ created last Thursday, allowing select LIV players to rejoin the PGA Tour without suspension. Koepka’s sporting merits were taken into account, especially his 2023 PGA Championship victory as his fifth major.
The PGA Tour’s statement says the special rule applies to major winners and The Players champions from the past three years, with a registration deadline of February 2. ‘This is a one-time, clearly defined opportunity and does not set a precedent for future cases,’ said PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp. This will give notable LIV players like Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cam Smith a lot to think about and causes unease within LIV Golf League.
Koepka’s penalty for switching to LIV is mild: a $5 million donation to the PGA Tour charity fund, exclusion from the 2026 FedEx Cup