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As expected, Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion will remain connected to the competing circuit but needs more family time. This was agreed upon amicably, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. Koepka is known as a competitor who thrives in high-level contests, which he rarely found in LIV. He had joined LIV in 2022 primarily due to injury concerns and to secure his retirement income. His withdrawal from the final contracted season is therefore not surprising, though questions remain about financial arrangements and his ownership in LIV’s Smash GC team, which named Talor Gooch the captain.
Speculation abounds regarding which fairways Koepka will appear on next. The DP World Tour would grant him immediate eligibility, likely subject to penalty fees, or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension since his last LIV appearance. This suspension was significantly softened from prior lifetime bans by former commissioner Jay Monahan. Recent reports from ESPN’s Mark Schlabach reveal Koepka formally applied to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which had not been renewed after 2022, seeking to rejoin the player pool.
Any suspension would expire in August, coinciding with the end of the 2026 season at the Tour Championship from August 27-30. Koepka would be eligible for the 2027 season, fitting with the PGA Tour’s new schedule of about two dozen $20 million tournaments with limited elite fields—a perfect time for his comeback. The investors backing PGA Tour Enterprises, likely managing the new top league, would certainly welcome another big name.
\”He might need some time, but I think he will return to the PGA Tour,\” said Jon Rahm in the \”Subpar\” podcast. \”He will probably play at least the minimum and why not the tournaments he likes, the big ones. If he qualifies for or is invited to top events, he’ll play them too.\” The PGA Tour board, player directors, and Tiger Woods-led competition committee have influence over the suspension, and Rory McIlroy has recommended Koepka be allowed back immediately.
Update: It happened just like that. On Monday evening local time, news spread quickly that Koepka is immediately eligible again for the PGA Tour and will tee off at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines at the end of January. He is also confirmed for the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona.
This is possible thanks to a new rule created last Thursday called the \”Returning Member Program,\” allowing selected LIV players to regain PGA Tour membership without suspension. For Koepka, his sporting merits, especially the 2023 PGA Championship title as his fifth major, were taken into account.
The PGA Tour statement