First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh eager to compete again, Charley Hull launching on YouTube soon. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has officially opted out of the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion will remain affiliated with the rival circuit but needs more family time, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s friendly statement. Koepka is known as a competitor who thrives on top-level challenges, which he rarely found at LIV. He had joined the Saudi-funded league in 2022 mainly due to injury concerns about ending his career early and to secure a solid retirement fund. Thus, skipping his final contracted season is unsurprising, although questions remain about potential buyouts or paybacks. He remains the owner of LIV team Smash GC, with Talor Gooch as the new captain.
Speculation grows about which tours Koepka will play on next—either the DP World Tour where he would be immediately eligible, possibly for a penalty, or the PGA Tour where he must serve a one-year suspension post-LIV participation, after previous lifetime bans were significantly reduced. This key question seems partly answered: ESPN’s Mark Schlabach reported that Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which had lapsed after 2022.
An eventual suspension would expire in August, coinciding with the 2026 season ending with the Tour Championship from August 27-30. Koepka would be eligible for 2027 under PGA Tour’s compressed new schedule featuring around two dozen $20 million tournaments with limited elite fields—ideal timing for his comeback. PGA Tour Enterprises investors would welcome another big-name star.
\”He may need some time, but I think he’ll return to the PGA Tour,\” Jon Rahm recently said on the \”Subpar\” podcast. \”He’ll likely play at least the minimum and selectively the events he likes and the big ones. If he qualifies for marquee tournaments, he’ll play those too.\” There could be leniency for the five-time major winner in Ponte Vedra Beach, where the board, player directors, and Tiger Woods-led competition committee have influence—following Rory McIlroy’s recommendation to reinstate Koepka immediately.
Update: The news broke Monday evening that Koepka is now officially eligible to play on the PGA Tour, with his first start at the Farmers Insurance Open in late January at Torrey Pines and confirmed participation at the WM Phoenix Open in Arizona.
This is thanks to a new \”Returning Member Program\” established last Thursday, allowing select LIV players to rejoin the PGA Tour without suspension. Koepka’s sporting merits, including his 2023 PGA Championship victory as his fifth major, were taken into account.
The PGA Tour’s statement specifies the policy applies to major winners and Players Championship victors from the past three years, with a deadline of February 2. \”This is a one-time, clearly defined opportunity and does not set a precedent,\” said CEO Brian Rolapp. This move sends a signal to Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cam Smith, potentially troubling the LIV Golf League.
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