First start already at the Farmers; Vijay Singh eager for another run; Charley Hull soon on YouTube. The Back Nine.
Brooks Koepka has announced he will opt out for the 2026 LIV season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner will stay connected to the rival circuit but needs more family time. LIV CEO Scott McNeil confirmed this amicable agreement. However, Koepka is known as a competitor who thrives on top-level challenges, which he felt was somewhat lacking in LIV. His initial move to LIV in 2022 was largely motivated by injury concerns and securing a substantial retirement fund. Questions remain about whether he had to buy out his final contract year or repay part of his guaranteed salary. Koepka remains the owner of LIV team Smash GC, which recently appointed Talor Gooch as captain.
Speculation mounts on which tour Koepka will join next: the DP World Tour, where he is immediately eligible (possibly with a penalty), or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension following his last LIV event, though lifetime bans have been softened. ESPN’s Mark Schlabach reported Koepka formally applied last Friday to reinstate his PGA Tour membership and rejoin the players’ pool after not renewing post-2022.
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His potential suspension would end in August, coinciding with the end of the 2026 season at the Tour Championship, enabling eligibility for 2027 with the PGA Tour’s condensed schedule featuring about two dozen $20 million events with limited elite fields — an ideal time for Koepka’s return. PGA Tour Enterprises investors would surely welcome such a marquee name. Jon Rahm stated recently on the “Subpar” podcast that Koepka might start playing soon, possibly only his preferred major events. The PGA Tour leadership, including player directors and the Tiger Woods-led competition committee, may overlook the suspension, following Rory McIlroy’s recommendation to reinstate Koepka immediately.
Update: The news has spread rapidly that Koepka is immediately eligible to compete on the PGA Tour and will tee off at the Farmers Insurance Open in late January at Torrey Pines, with participation in the Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale also confirmed. This is made possible by the newly created “Returning Member Program,” permitting selected LIV players to regain PGA Tour membership without suspension. Koepka’s significant recent achievements, especially the 2023 PGA Championship win (his fifth major), were a key factor. PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp emphasized this is a unique, limited-time opportunity expiring February 2 and not setting precedent, signaling tough decisions ahead for other LIV players like Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cam Smith.
Koepka’s penalties for jumping to LIV are mild: a $5 million donation to the PGA Tour’s charity fund, exclusion from the 2026 FedEx Cup bonus pool, and a five-year ban from the PGA Tour’s equity program that involves investments in PGA Tour Enterprises.