First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh ready to compete again, Charley Hull soon on YouTube. The Back Nine.
Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh, choosing to remain connected to the rival circuit while prioritizing family time, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil. The five-time major winner, known as a fierce competitor who thrives on top-level competition, reportedly finds LIV less motivating and originally joined LIV in 2022 to secure a solid retirement fund due to injury concerns. Speculation surrounds whether he paid to exit his final contracted season and if he remains the owner of LIV team Smash GC, now captained by Talor Gooch.
Questions abound about which tours Koepka will appear on next—whether the DP World Tour, where he would be immediately eligible possibly with a penalty, or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension after his last LIV appearance. Former Commissioner Jay Monahan’s lifetime bans have been significantly softened to accommodate returning LIV players, especially prominent ones like Koepka. ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reports Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which was not renewed after 2022.
An August expiration of his potential suspension coincides with the end of the 2026 season, allowing him to compete in 2027 under PGA Tour’s revamped schedule featuring around two dozen $20 million tournaments with limited elite fields — an ideal comeback scenario. Investors in PGA Tour Enterprises would likely welcome such a high-profile name back. Jon Rahm recently expressed confidence Koepka will return, expecting him to compete in select preferred events. The decision-making involves the board, player directors, and a competition committee led by Tiger Woods, reportedly favoring Koepka’s immediate return as per Rory McIlroy’s recommendation.
Update: It happened just so. On Monday evening local time, news spread rapidly that Koepka is eligible for PGA Tour play effective immediately, starting at the Farmers Insurance Open in late January at Torrey Pines, with participation in the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale also confirmed. This was enabled by the \”Returning Member Program,\” a new rule created last Thursday allowing select LIV players to resume PGA membership without suspension. Koepka’s recent sporting merits, including his 2023 PGA Championship win as his fifth major, were key. The PGA Tour stated the special rule applies to major winners and Players champions from the last three years, with a deadline on February 2. CEO Brian Rolapp stressed this is a one-time opportunity, not setting precedent. This development may concern players like Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cam Smith, and create unease in LIV Golf League.
Koepka’s penalty for joining LIV is relatively mild: a $5 million donation to PGA Tour charity, exclusion from the 2026 FedEx Cup bonus system, and a five-year ban from PGA Tour Enterprises’ capital participation program.
DeChambeau Confirms LIV Golf Return for 2026
Bryson DeChambeau officially confirmed his participation in the LIV Golf League for 2026 with his Crushers team—the same roster featuring