First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh returns, Charley Hull soon on YouTube. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the LIV Golf 2026 season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner remains connected to the rival circuit but needs more family time. This was amicably agreed upon, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil. Koepka is a competitive type who thrives in high-level competition, something LIV did not fully provide. He had joined LIV in 2022 primarily due to injury concerns and financial security for retirement. Questions remain whether he had to buy out or repay part of his guaranteed salary and whether he remains owner of LIV’s Smash GC team, now captained by Talor Gooch.
Speculation is rife about which fairways Koepka will next appear on. He is eligible to play immediately on the DP World Tour, possibly paying a penalty, or on the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension since his last LIV event, after former commissioner Jay Monahan softened lifetime bans. Why hold grudges, since every LIV returnee, especially a prominent one, benefits the established PGA Tour? ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reported Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership and rejoin the player pool after not renewing post-2022.
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Any suspension would end in August, coinciding with the close of the 2026 season at the Tour Championship from August 27-30. Koepka would then be eligible for 2027, aligning perfectly with the PGA Tour’s new schedule featuring nearly two dozen $20 million tournaments with limited, top fields—a timing he would appreciate. PGA Tour Enterprises investors would welcome another high-profile name.
\”He may need some time, but I think he will return to the PGA Tour,\” said Jon Rahm in a recent \”Subpar\” podcast interview. \”He’ll probably play at least the minimum, and why not the tournaments he likes, the big ones? If he qualifies or receives invitations, he’d play those too.\” It’s possible the PGA Tour will soften its stance on the five-time major champion. Besides the board, player directors and the competition committee led by Tiger Woods influence suspension decisions, with Rory McIlroy recommending Koepka’s immediate reinstatement. A majority of fans appear supportive of this, according to a non-representative Bunkered poll.
Update: The earlier speculation proved accurate: Koepka is now immediately eligible to play on the PGA Tour and will tee off at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in late January. His participation at the WM Phoenix Open in Scottsdale, Arizona, is also confirmed. This is enabled through the newly introduced \”Returning Member Program,\” allowing selected LIV players to rejoin the PGA Tour without suspension.