First start already at the Farmers; Vijay Singh eager to compete again; Charley Hull launching YouTube channel soon. The Back Nine.
It was expected: Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh. The five-time major champion will remain affiliated with the rival circuit but needs more family time. LIV CEO Scott McNeil stated this agreement was made amicably. However, Koepka is a competitor who thrives on high-level competition, something he found limited in LIV. He initially joined LIV in 2022 due to injury concerns that threatened his career and to secure a substantial retirement fund. His decision to skip the final contractual season comes as no surprise, though questions remain about possible buyouts or repayments of guaranteed money. Koepka remains owner of the LIV team Smash GC, which recently appointed Talor Gooch as captain.
Speculation abounds on which tour Koepka will next appear. He would be immediately eligible to play on the DP World Tour, possibly with a penalty, or return to the PGA Tour where he faces a one-year suspension following his last LIV start, a sanction reduced from life bans. This question now seems partly answered. According to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership after not renewing post-2022 and rejoin the players’ ranks.
An eventual suspension would expire in August, coinciding with the end of the 2026 season. Koepka would be eligible for 2027, aligning with the PGA Tour’s new schedule featuring about two dozen $20 million tournaments with exclusive fields—a perfect moment for his comeback. This would be welcomed by investors in PGA Tour Enterprises who support the new top league and would benefit from another marquee name.
Jon Rahm recently commented on the Podcast ‘Subpar’, \”He might need some time, but I think he’ll return to the PGA Tour. He’ll likely play the minimum and the big tournaments he prefers. If he qualifies for major events, he would play those too.\” PGA Tour’s board, player directors, and competition committee led by Tiger Woods hold sway over the suspension decision and reportedly follow Rory McIlroy’s recommendation to allow Koepka to play again immediately.
Update: As it happened, by Monday evening local time, news spread rapidly that Koepka was reinstated on the PGA Tour immediately and will tee off at the Farmers Insurance Open in late January at Torrey Pines. Participation in the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale is confirmed.
This is made possible by the recently introduced ‘Returning Member Program’, allowing select LIV players to rejoin the PGA Tour with no suspension. In Koepka’s case, his sporting merits, especially the 2023 PGA Championship as his fifth major, were considered.
The PGA Tour stated the special rule applies to major winners and Players champions of the past three years with a deadline of February 2. CEO Brian Rolapp emphasized this one-time opportunity does not set a precedent.
This development may cause concern within LIV Golf as prominent players like Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau,