First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh is back, Charley Hull launching a YouTube channel soon. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting on February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner remains connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for his family. This was reportedly agreed upon amicably, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil. However, Koepka is a competitor who thrives on high-level competition, something he found limited at LIV. Originally, he joined LIV in 2022 as he feared his career was ending due to injury and wanted a solid retirement fund. Therefore, it is unsurprising that he foregoes the last contractual season, although questions remain about buyouts or salary repayments. He remains the owner of the LIV Smash GC team, which recently named Talor Gooch as captain.
Speculations are rife about which tours Koepka will appear on next. He could play immediately on the DP World Tour, likely facing a penalty, or return to the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year ban since his last LIV appearance—though lifetime bans imposed by former commissioner Jay Monahan have been greatly reduced. ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reported that Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership and be reinstated into the player pool.
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Any suspension would expire in August, coinciding with the 2026 season ending with the Tour Championship from August 27-30. Koepka would be eligible to play in 2027 under the PGA Tour’s new condensed schedule focused on about two dozen $20-million tournaments with limited elite fields—a perfect moment for his return. PGA Tour Enterprises investors would surely welcome another star name.
Jon Rahm recently stated on the podcast \”Subpar\” that \”he might need some time, but I think he will return to the PGA Tour. He’ll probably play at least the minimum and why not the tournaments he likes, especially the big ones. If he qualifies or gets invites to high-profile events, he would play those too.\” Additionally, the player board, competition committee led by Tiger Woods, and fans largely support Koepka’s return, following Rory McIlroy’s recommendation to allow him back immediately. A non-representative survey by \”Bunkered\” also reflected this majority fan sentiment.
Update: As expected, Koepka has been reinstated to the PGA Tour effective immediately and is confirmed to play at the Farmers Insurance Open in late January at Torrey Pines, as well as the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona.
This was enabled by a newly introduced \”Returning Member Program\” allowing select LIV players to regain PGA