First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh ready to compete again, Charley Hull soon on YouTube. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the LIV Golf League for the 2026 season starting February 7 in Riyadh. The five-time major winner will remain connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for family, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. Koepka, known as a competitor motivated by top-level challenges, was less engaged in LIV and initially joined in 2022 mainly due to injury concerns and to secure his retirement funds. His skipping the final contractual season raises questions about any buyout or refund of guaranteed earnings and whether he still owns his LIV team Smash GC, now captained by Talor Gooch.
There is much speculation about which tours Koepka will compete on next — the DP World Tour, where he is immediately eligible possibly with a penalty, or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension after the last LIV event. The lifetime bans imposed previously by former commissioner Jay Monahan have been substantially reduced. According to ESPN’s Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which lapsed after 2022, and to be reinstated as a player.
An expected suspension would end in August, coinciding with the end of the 2026 season. This would make Koepka eligible for 2027, exactly when the PGA Tour plans a new schedule featuring around two dozen $20 million tournaments with top-tier limited fields — an ideal comeback scenario fitting Koepka’s preferences. PGA Tour Enterprises investors would welcome adding a strong name like Koepka to their new top league.
Jon Rahm recently expressed confidence in Koepka’s return, stating on the \”Subpar\” podcast that Koepka may start slowly with selected top events and then play the biggest tournaments if qualified. PGA Tour authorities including player directors and the Tiger Woods-led competition committee hold say in suspension matters and have reportedly supported Rory McIlroy’s recommendation to allow Koepka back immediately.
Update: On Monday evening local time, news spread rapidly that Koepka is once again eligible for the PGA Tour effective immediately, with confirmed starts at the Farmers Insurance Open in late January at Torrey Pines and the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale. This is enabled by the new \”Returning Member Program,\” created recently to allow select LIV players to rejoin the PGA Tour without suspension. Koepka’s recent sporting achievements, including his 2023 PGA Championship victory, were considered in this decision.
The PGA Tour statement clarifies the provision applies to major champions and Players winners from the past three years, with the deadline of February 2. CEO Brian Rolapp emphasizes this is a unique, well-defined opportunity not setting a precedent. This move likely influences other LIV players like Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cam Smith, causing unease within LIV Golf.
Koepka’s penalties for joining LIV are moderate: a $5 million charitable donation to the PGA Tour, exclusion from the 2026 FedEx Cup bonus system, and a five-year ban from the PGA Tour’s