First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh eager to compete again, Charley Hull launching YouTube channel soon. The Back Nine.
Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner remains connected to the rival circuit but needs more family time, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil. Koepka, known for being highly motivated by top-level competition, did not find that level at LIV and joined mainly for financial security due to injuries threatening his career. Questions remain about whether he had to buy out his contract or repay part of the guaranteed money and if he remains an owner of LIV’s Smash GC team, which now has Talor Gooch as captain.
Speculation is growing on which tours Koepka will next appear. He would be immediately eligible for the DP World Tour, likely with a penalty, or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension after his last LIV appearance, although lifetime bans imposed by former commissioner Jay Monahan were significantly reduced. Returning prominent LIV players are advantageous to the PGA Tour, and according to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his discontinued PGA Tour membership and rejoin the player pool.
His suspension would expire in August, coinciding with the end of the 2026 PGA season at the Tour Championship. Koepka would then be eligible for the 2027 season, when the PGA Tour plans a new schedule with nearly two dozen $20 million events featuring limited, elite fields—a perfect timing for his comeback. Investors in PGA Tour Enterprises would welcome another high-profile name.
Jon Rahm recently said on the \”Subpar\” podcast that Koepka might need time but is expected to return to the PGA Tour, likely playing at least the minimum, focusing on major events he prefers. Player directors and the competition committee, led by Tiger Woods, have influence on suspension decisions and reportedly support Koepka’s immediate return, following Rory McIlroy’s recommendation.
Update: The news spread rapidly Monday evening that Koepka is immediately eligible to play on the PGA Tour, confirmed for the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines late January and the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona.
This is enabled by the newly established \”Returning Member Program,\” created last Thursday, allowing select LIV players to rejoin the PGA Tour without suspension. For Koepka, his recent athletic achievements, particularly the 2023 PGA Championship, were key factors.
The PGA Tour stated the program applies to major winners and Players Championship victors from the past three years, with a deadline of February 2. CEO Brian Rolapp emphasized this is a one-time opportunity and not a precedent for future cases, which might concern players like Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cam Smith, and unsettle LIV Golf.
Koepka’s penalties for joining LIV are 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 equity programs backed by investor