First start at the Farmers, Vijay Singh ready to compete again, Charley Hull launching YouTube channel soon. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season set to begin February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner will remain connected to the competing circuit but needs more time for his family. This amicable agreement was officially stated by LIV CEO Scott McNeil. However, Koepka is known as a competitor who thrives on top-level competition, a drive somewhat limited during his LIV tenure. Koepka joined LIV in 2022 mainly because he feared his career was ending due to injury and sought a solid retirement fund. His waiver of the last contractual season is thus unsurprising, though questions remain about buyouts or repayment of guaranteed pay. The 35-year-old still owns his LIV team Smash GC, currently captained by Talor Gooch.
Speculation is rife about where Koepka will play next—DP World Tour, where he would have immediate eligibility, possibly with a penalty, or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension since his last LIV event, following a reduction from previously imposed lifetime bans by former commissioner Jay Monahan. It’s a fair question why vindictiveness would persist when every LIV returnee benefits the longer-established tours. This question seems partly answered: According to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership that wasn’t renewed after 2022 and to be reinstated as a player.
Any suspension would expire in August, coinciding with the PGA Tour’s 2026 season end at the Tour Championship from August 27 to 30. Koepka would be eligible for the 2027 season with PGA Tour’s new schedule featuring nearly two dozen $20-million tournaments with limited top-tier fields—ideal timing for his return and appealing for investors at PGA Tour Enterprises backing the new top league.
Jon Rahm recently mentioned on the \”Subpar\” podcast that Koepka might need time but is likely to return to the PGA Tour, possibly playing minimum events and then the big tournaments he favors. The PGA Tour board, player directors, and the Tiger Woods-led competition committee likely have influence on the suspension and reportedly would follow Rory McIlroy’s recommendation to allow Koepka to compete again.
Update: On Monday evening local time, news spread rapidly that Koepka is immediately eligible to play on the PGA Tour and has already confirmed participation at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines at the end of January and the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona.
The “Returning Member Program” rule created last Thursday permits certain LIV players to rejoin the PGA Tour without suspension. Koepka’s case considered his sporting merits, notably his 2023 PGA Championship win as his fifth major.
The PGA Tour states this special rule applies to major and Players champions from the past three years, ending February 2. PGA