First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh wants to give it another go, 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As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion will stay connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for family, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil. However, Koepka is a competitor who thrives on high-level competition, which he found limited in LIV. He had switched in 2022 mostly because of injuries threatening his career end and to secure a good retirement fund. So it is no surprise he forgoes the last contractual season, although questions remain about contract buyouts and his ownership of LIV team Smash GC, now captained by Talor Gooch.
Speculation is growing on which fairways Koepka will appear next. On the DP World Tour, where he would be immediately eligible—probably with a penalty? Or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension from the last LIV event after former commissioner Jay Monahan significantly reduced lifetime bans. Why be vindictive when every prominent LIV returnee benefits the PGA Tour? This question seems partly answered. According to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership after 2022 and to be readmitted to the players’ circle.
An eventual suspension would expire in August. The 2026 season would also end then with the Tour Championship. Koepka would be eligible for 2027 under the PGA Tour’s new condensed schedule featuring nearly two dozen $20-million tournaments with limited, top-tier fields. The perfect timing for a comeback, fitting Koepka’s style. PGA Tour Enterprises investors would surely appreciate another marquee name.
\”He might need some time, but I think he’ll return to the PGA Tour,\” said Jon Rahm recently on the \”Subpar\” podcast. \”He’ll probably play at least the minimum, and why not the tournaments he likes, the big ones? If he qualifies for high-profile events, he’d play those too.\” Plus, as a five-time major winner, Koepka might get leniency from Ponte Vedra Beach’s board, player directors, and Tiger Woods-led competition committee, following Rory McIlroy’s endorsement to allow Koepka’s immediate play.
Update: Just so it happened: On Monday evening local time, news spread rapidly that Koepka is eligible to play on the PGA Tour immediately and will tee off at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines at the end of January. Participation in the WM Phoenix Open in Scottsdale, Arizona, is already confirmed.
This is enabled by the \”Returning Member Program\”, a rule created last Thursday that allows selected LIV players to rejoin the PGA Tour without suspension. Koepka’s sporting merits, particularly his 2023 PGA Championship win as fifth major, were considered.
The PGA Tour statement says the special rule applies to major winners and Players champions from the last three years. The deadline is February 2. \”This is a one-time, clearly defined opportunity and does not set a precedent for