First start at the Farmers, Vijay Singh returns, Charley Hull soon on YouTube. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner remains connected to the competing circuit but needs more time for family. This friendly agreement was announced by LIV CEO Scott McNeil. However, Koepka is a competitor who thrives on high-level competition, something he only partially found at LIV. Originally, he joined LIV in 2022 due to injury concerns and to secure his retirement fund. Thus, his skipping the final contractual season is unsurprising, though questions linger about contract buyouts or repayments. He remains the owner of LIV team Smash GC, which named Talor Gooch captain.
Speculation rises on which fairways Koepka will appear next — DP World Tour where he could play immediately (likely with a penalty), or PGA Tour where he faces a one-year suspension since his last LIV start, after previous lifetime bans were relaxed. ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reported Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership and rejoin the player ranks.
His suspension would expire in August, coinciding with the 2026 season ending at the Tour Championship. Koepka would be eligible to play the new high-profile, limited-field PGA Tour schedule in 2027 — an ideal comeback timing agreeable to him and PGA Tour Enterprises investors.
Jon Rahm recently suggested in the \”Subpar\” podcast that Koepka will likely return to the PGA Tour, playing his preferred major events in minimum participation initially. The governing bodies, including a Tiger Woods-led competition committee and player directors, might waive suspensions, following Rory McIlroy’s recommendation to reinstate Koepka immediately.
Update: Koepka is now officially eligible to compete on the PGA Tour immediately and will play the Farmers Insurance Open in late January at Torrey Pines and the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale.
A new regulation called the \”Returning Member Program\” allows certain LIV players to rejoin the PGA Tour without a suspension, considering recent sporting achievements like Koepka’s 2023 PGA Championship win. PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp confirmed this unique opportunity, closing February 2, sets no precedent.
Koepka’s penalties include a $5 million charity payment to the PGA Tour, exclusion from the 2026 FedEx Cup bonus system, and a five-year ban from the PGA Tour’s equity participation program.
DeChambeau Confirms LIV Start for 2026
Bryson DeChambeau has officially confirmed his participation in LIV Golf’s 2026 season with his Crushers team unchanged. However, no long-term contract extension has been announced, fueling speculation about behind-the-scenes negotiations following Koepka’s departure.
Vijay Singh Returns to PGA Tour at 62
In a surprising move, three-time major winner Vijay Singh of Fiji returns to the PGA Tour at age 62 using career money list exemption, starting at the Sony Open in Hawaii. He previously played on the PGA Tour Champions, winning five