First start at the Farmers, Vijay Singh returns, Charley Hull launching on YouTube soon. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season, starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion will remain connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for family. This was the amicable agreement, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. Koepka is a competitor who is highly motivated and thrives in top-level competition, something that LIV didn’t fully ignite. He initially joined LIV in 2022 mainly due to injuries threatening his career and to secure a substantial retirement fund. So, skipping the last contractually obligated season is unsurprising, although questions remain about financial details and team ownership.
Speculation abounds about where Koepka will compete next – the DP World Tour, where immediate eligibility is possible, likely with a penalty, or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension following his last LIV appearance after previously harsher lifetime bans were eased. The key question seems partially answered: ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reported Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which ended in 2022, and be reinstated as a player.
Any suspension would expire in August, coinciding with the end of the 2026 season after the Tour Championship (Aug 27-30). However, Koepka would be eligible for 2027 when the PGA Tour launches its condensed schedule featuring nearly two dozen $20 million events with limited fields stacked with top players – a perfect comeback timing in his style. PGA Tour Enterprises investors would likely welcome another strong name.
Jon Rahm recently said on the ‘Subpar’ podcast, \”He may need time, but I think he will return to the PGA Tour. He’ll likely play at least the minimum, and why not the events he likes, the big ones? If he qualifies or receives invitations for big events, he’d play those too.\” Possibly, the PGA Tour might show leniency for the five-time major winner, considering the board, player directors, and Tiger Woods-led competition committee have input on suspensions and Rory McIlroy supports Koepka’s immediate return. A majority of fans appear to agree, as a non-representative ‘Bunkered’ magazine survey showed.
Update: That leniency happened: news spread rapidly that Koepka is immediately eligible to play on the PGA Tour and will tee off at the Farmers Insurance Open in late January at Torrey Pines. He’s also confirmed for the WM Phoenix Open in Scottsdale, Arizona. This is enabled by the newly introduced ‘Returning Member Program’ allowing select LIV players to rejoin the PGA Tour without suspension.
DeChambeau Confirms LIV Start for 2026
Bryson DeChambeau officially confirmed he will compete in the