First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh still eager, 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As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion will stay connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for his family. This was a friendly agreement, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. Koepka is a competitor who thrives on high-level competition, which he found limited in LIV. He originally joined LIV in 2022 due to injury concerns and to secure a strong retirement fund. His decision not to play the final contracted season raises questions about a possible buyout or partial payback. It remains unclear if the 35-year-old remains owner of LIV team Smash GC, now captained by Talor Gooch.
Speculation is rife about where Koepka will next play. DP World Tour membership is immediate, perhaps with a penalty, or PGA Tour, where a one-year suspension applies following his last LIV event, though lifetime bans by former commissioner Jay Monahan have been softened. It makes little sense to be vindictive, as every prominent LIV returnee benefits the longer-established tours. ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reported Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership after it was not extended post-2022.
An eventual ban would expire in August, coinciding with the Tour Championship and end of the 2026 season, but Koepka would be eligible for 2027 when the PGA Tour introduces a new schedule featuring nearly two dozen $20 million events with limited elite fields—a perfect time for his comeback. PGA Tour Enterprises investors would welcome such a marquee name.
\”He may need some time, but I think he’ll return to the PGA Tour,\” said Jon Rahm on the \”Subpar\” podcast. \”He’ll probably play the minimum and the big events he likes. If qualified for top tournaments, he will probably play them too.\” There is potential leniency from the PGA Tour, influenced by Rory McIlroy’s recommendation to allow Koepka’s immediate return, involving the board, player directors, and the Tiger Woods-led competition committee.
Update: It happened: On Monday evening local time, news spread rapidly that Koepka is immediately eligible for the PGA Tour, already teeing off at the Farmers Insurance Open in late January at Torrey Pines, with participation confirmed at the WM Phoenix Open in Arizona’s TPC Scottsdale.
Enabled by the new \”Returning Member Program,\” created last Thursday, allowing select LIV players to rejoin the PGA Tour without suspension. Koepka’s sporting merits, particularly his 2023 PGA Championship win, were considered.
The PGA Tour states this exception applies to major and Players Championship winners from the past three years and ends on February 2. \”This is a one-time, clearly defined opportunity and does not set a precedent,\” said CEO Brian Rolapp. This likely causes concern for Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cam Smith, as well as the LIV Golf League.
Koepka’s penalty for defecting to LIV is mild: