First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh back in action, Charley Hull soon on YouTube. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season which begins on February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner remains connected to the competing circuit but needs more time for his family. This was reportedly agreed upon amicably according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil. Koepka is known as a competitor who gets highly motivated and fired up only in top-level competition, something he found limited in LIV. He joined LIV in 2022 mainly because an injury threatened to end his career early and he wanted to secure good retirement money for his personal pension fund. Thus, skipping the last contractually required season is not surprising, though questions remain about possible buyouts or repayments of guaranteed salary. He remains the owner of LIV team Smash GC, which recently appointed Talor Gooch as its new captain.
Speculation abounds about where Koepka will play next. The DP World Tour would grant him immediate eligibility, possibly with a penalty payment, or the PGA Tour, where he would have to serve a one-year suspension after his last LIV appearance, following substantial reductions of previous lifetime bans imposed by former Commissioner Jay Monahan. It makes little sense to be vindictive when every returning LIV player, especially someone as prominent as Koepka, strengthens the established Tour that holds the upper hand. This key question seems partially answered. According to ESPN reporter Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which was not renewed after 2022, to be reinstated as a player.
Any suspension would end in August, coinciding with the conclusion of the 2026 season at the Tour Championship from August 27 to 30. Koepka would then be eligible to compete in 2027 when the PGA Tour introduces its revamped schedule featuring about two dozen $20 million tournaments with the strongest limited fields — the perfect timing for a comeback, fitting Koepka’s preferences. The investors behind PGA Tour Enterprises, likely the organizers of the new top league, would surely welcome another big-name player.
\”He might need some time, but I think he will return to the PGA Tour,\” recently said Jon Rahm in a podcast interview. \”He will probably play at least the minimum, I would say, and why not the tournaments he likes, the big ones. If he then qualifies or gets to play high-profile events, he would play those too.\” And who knows, the PGA Tour might be lenient with a five-time major champion — besides the board, players’ directors and the competition committee led by Tiger Woods have a say on suspensions, and Rory McIlroy has recommended allowing Koepka back immediately.
Update: This is exactly what happened. On Monday evening local time, news spread rapidly that Koepka is immediately eligible to play on the PGA Tour and will tee off at