First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh eager to compete again, Charley Hull launching a YouTube channel soon. 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As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner stays connected to the competing circuit but needs more family time. This amicable agreement was officially stated by LIV CEO Scott McNeil. Koepka is a competitor who thrives on high-level competition, something LIV didn’t fully provide. Having turned to LIV in 2022 due to injury concerns and securing a good retirement fund, his choice to skip the last contract year is unsurprising, though questions remain about possible buyouts or repayments. At 35, he remains an owner of the LIV team Smash GC, which named Talor Gooch as new captain.
Speculation intensifies on where Koepka will compete next — DP World Tour (immediately eligible, maybe with a penalty) or PGA Tour (where a one-year suspension following LIV participation remains, softened from lifetime bans). ESPN’s Mark Schlabach reported Koepka formally applied last Friday to reinstate his PGA Tour membership and rejoin the playing field.
An anticipated suspension lifts in August, coinciding with the end of the 2026 season. Koepka could reenter in 2027 under the PGA Tour’s redesigned schedule with roughly two dozen $20 million events and limited fields, ideal for his comeback. This would please PGA Tour Enterprises investors backing the top league.
\”He might need some time, but I think he’ll return to the PGA Tour,\” Jon Rahm said on the \”Subpar\” podcast. \”He’ll likely play the minimum and the tournaments he favors. If he qualifies for high-profile events, he’d play those too.\” The PGA Tour’s board, player directors, and Tiger Woods-led competition committee may grant leniency, following Rory McIlroy’s endorsement for Koepka’s reinstatement.
Update: The news spread quickly Monday evening that Koepka is immediately eligible to compete again on the PGA Tour, teeing off at the Farmers Insurance Open late January in Torrey Pines. Participation at the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale is also confirmed.
This is enabled by the \”Returning Member Program,\” established last Thursday, allowing select LIV players to rejoin the PGA Tour without penalty. Koepka’s 2023 PGA Championship win as his fifth major was a key merit for this.
The PGA Tour states the special rule applies to major and Players Championship winners of the past three years, expiring February 2. \”This is a one-time, clearly defined opportunity and not a precedent,\” said PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp. This likely unsettles Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cam Smith, and causes LIV Golf unease.
Koepka’s penalty for the LIV jump is mild: a $5 million donation to PGA Tour charity, exclusion from the 2026 FedEx Cup bonus, and a five-year ban from PGA Tour’s equity program.