First start at Farmers, Vijay Singh’s comeback, Charley Hull’s YouTube debut. The Back Nine.
As expected: Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the LIV Golf League for the 2026 season starting February 7 in Riyadh. The five-time major champion will remain connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for family, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil. Koepka is known as a competitor who thrives in top-level competition, which he found limited at LIV. In 2022, he joined LIV mostly due to injuries threatening his career and sought a substantial retirement fund. Thus, skipping the final contracted season raises questions about buyouts or paybacks. Koepka remains owner of LIV team Smash GC, with Talor Gooch named new captain.
Speculation heats up on where Koepka will compete next: DP World Tour, where he would be immediately eligible likely with a penalty, or PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension from his last LIV event, which was considerably softened from a lifetime ban. According to ESPN’s Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, aiming to rejoin the player pool.
An eventual suspension would end in August, coinciding with the close of the 2026 season at the Tour Championship but making Koepka eligible for 2027’s PGA Tour schedule, featuring nearly two dozen $20 million events with limited elite fields—a perfect comeback moment for him. PGA Tour investors would welcome another marquee name. Jon Rahm recently suggested on the \”Subpar\” podcast that Koepka will return, likely playing selectively the big tournaments he favors. The players’ board and Tiger Woods-led competition committee also influence suspension decisions, reportedly aligned with Rory McIlroy’s recommendation to allow Koepka immediate return.
Update: It happened: On Monday evening, news spread fast that Koepka is immediately PGA Tour eligible and will compete at the Farmers Insurance Open in late January at Torrey Pines. He also confirmed participation at the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale. This is enabled by a newly created “Returning Member Program” allowing select LIV players reinstatement without suspension. Koepka’s recent merits, including the 2023 PGA Championship win, were decisive.
The PGA Tour stated the special rule applies to major and Players champions within the last three years, expiring February 2, emphasizing this as a unique opportunity not precedent-setting. This puts pressure on other LIV players like Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cam Smith, causing concern in LIV Golf.
Koepka’s penalty for joining LIV is mild: a $5 million charity donation, exclusion from 2026 FedEx Cup bonus, and a five-year ban from PGA Tour capital sharing programs tied to investor funds.
DeChambeau Confirms LIV Start for 2026
Bryson DeChambeau officially confirmed his participation in the 2026 LIV Golf League. His Crushers team with Charles Howell III, Paul Casey, and Anirban Lahiri will continue into the fifth season. However, no general contract extension was announced, fueling speculation on behind-the-scenes negotiations to retain LIV’s top