First start at the Farmers, Vijay Singh back in action, and Charley Hull launching on YouTube soon. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner remains connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for his family. This was a mutual friendly agreement, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. Koepka is a competitor who thrives on high-level competition, which he experienced to a limited extent with LIV. He originally joined LIV in 2022 as he feared ending his career prematurely due to injuries and wanted to secure a solid retirement fund. Given this, his skipping the final contract year isn’t surprising, though questions remain about potential buyout fees or repayment of guaranteed earnings. It also remains to be seen if the 35-year-old still owns his LIV team Smash GC, which has appointed Talor Gooch as captain.
Speculation is rife concerning which tours Koepka will soon play on. He could readily compete on the DP World Tour, possibly facing a penalty, or on the PGA Tour, where he would serve a one-year suspension from his last LIV event, a sanction softened from the lifetime bans previously handed down by former Commissioner Jay Monahan. This key question appears partly answered: ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reports that last Friday, Koepka formally applied to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which was not renewed after 2022.
Any suspension would expire in August, coinciding with the end of the 2026 season at the Tour Championship. Koepka would be eligible for 2027, coinciding with the PGA Tour’s compressed schedule featuring nearly two dozen $20 million events with limited, top-tier fields. An ideal comeback moment, fitting Koepka’s style. This would certainly please investors in PGA Tour Enterprises, likely the backers of the new top league, wanting another marketable name.
Jon Rahm recently said on the \”Subpar\” podcast, \”He might need some time but I think he’ll return to the PGA Tour. He’ll probably play at least the minimum, the tournaments he likes, the big ones. If he qualifies for high-profile events, he’ll play those too.\” Perhaps the PGA Tour’s board and players’ directors, along with the Tiger Woods-led competition committee, will ease Koepka’s suspension, following Rory McIlroy’s recommendation to let him play right away.
Update: It happened as predicted: On Monday evening local time, news spread rapidly that Koepka is immediately eligible for the PGA Tour and will tee off at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in late January. His participation in the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale is also confirmed.
The newly established \”Returning Member Program\” allows selected LIV players to rejoin the PGA Tour without suspension. In Koepka’s case, his recent sporting merits, especially his 2023 PGA Championship win, were considered. The PGA Tour states this special rule applies to