First start already at Farmers, Vijay Singh returns, Charley Hull to launch YouTube channel soon. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf League season starting February 7 in Riyadh. The five-time major winner will stay connected to the rival circuit but requires more family time, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. However, speculation surrounds Koepka, a competitive type who thrives on high-level competition, a condition LIV did not fully fulfill. After joining LIV in 2022 mostly due to injury concerns and financial security, his skipping the last contractual season raises questions whether he had to buy out or repay part of his guaranteed salary. He still owns the LIV team Smash GC, with Talor Gooch as captain.
There is growing speculation about where Koepka will next compete. The DP World Tour would grant immediate eligibility, likely with a penalty, or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension following his last LIV appearance, after former Commissioner Jay Monahan reduced lifetime bans significantly. This approach benefits the PGA Tour, which holds the upper hand over LIV. ESPN’s Mark Schlabach reported that Koepka formally applied to reactivate his PGA Tour membership last Friday.
Any suspension would expire in August, coinciding with the end of the 2026 season and Tour Championship. Koepka would be eligible for the 2027 season featuring a compressed schedule of about two dozen $20 million tournaments with limited elite fields, ideal for his comeback. PGA Tour Enterprises investors would welcome another high-profile player.
Jon Rahm recently expressed confidence Koepka will return to the PGA Tour, likely playing selectively in majors and preferred events. The PGA Tour’s leadership and player directors, including the Tiger Woods-led competition committee, reportedly support lifting his ban based on Rory McIlroy’s recommendation.
Update: Koepka is officially eligible again for the PGA Tour immediately and will tee off at the Farmers Insurance Open late January in Torrey Pines. His participation in the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale is confirmed.
This became possible through the \”Returning Member Program,\” a rule established last Thursday allowing select LIV players to rejoin without suspension, considering their sporting merits — notably Koepka’s 2023 PGA Championship victory.
The PGA Tour states this special rule applies to major winners and Players champions from the last three years, ending February 2. CEO Brian Rolapp called it a unique, clearly defined opportunity and not a precedent, with no guarantee it will recur, sparking thoughts among Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cam Smith, and unease within LIV Golf.
Koepka’s penalty for joining LIV is mild: a $5 million charity donation, exclusion from the 2026 FedEx Cup bonus, and a