First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh ready for more, 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As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner will stay connected to the competing circuit but needs more time for his family. This was amicably agreed upon, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. However, Koepka is a competitor who gets motivated and fired up only through high-level competition, which he found limited in LIV. He initially joined LIV in 2022 primarily because he feared his career might end due to injuries and wanted a good retirement fund. So his skipping the final contract year isn’t surprising, though questions remain about possible buyouts or paybacks. He remains the owner of Smash GC, his LIV team, which has named Talor Gooch captain.
Speculation is growing about which fairways Koepka will appear on next: the DP World Tour, where he would be immediately eligible, possibly after a penalty payment? Or the PGA Tour, where he would have to serve a one-year suspension after his last LIV event, following the significant reduction of the life bans imposed by former commissioner Jay Monahan? Why be vindictive when every returning LIV player, especially a prominent one, benefits the longer-established tour? This key question seems partially answered. According to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which was not renewed after 2022, and to be readmitted to the player pool.
Any possible suspension would end in August. That also marks the conclusion of the 2026 season with the Tour Championship from August 27 to 30. Koepka would be eligible to play in 2027 when the PGA Tour launches its new compressed schedule with nearly two dozen $20 million tournaments featuring limited, highly competitive fields. The perfect timing for a comeback, exactly to Koepka’s liking. This would also please the investors at PGA Tour Enterprises, presumably the organizers of this new top league, who would welcome another big-name player.
\”He might need some time, but I think he will return to the PGA Tour,\” Jon Rahm recently said on the \”Subpar\” podcast. \”He’ll probably play at least the minimum, and why not play the tournaments he likes, the big ones? If he then qualifies for high-profile events, he would play those too.\” Moreover, the five-time major champion