First start already at the Farmers; Vijay Singh also eager to return; Charley Hull soon on YouTube. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf League season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion remains affiliated with the rival circuit but needs more time for his family, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil. However, Koepka, known as a competitor who thrives in high-level competition, showed limited motivation in LIV. He joined LIV in 2022 mainly due to injury concerns and to secure a substantial retirement fund. His skipping the final contractual season raises questions about possible buyouts or repayments. He remains an owner of the LIV team Smash GC, now captained by Talor Gooch.
Speculation abounds about where Koepka will compete next — the DP World Tour, where he would be immediately eligible perhaps with a penalty, or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension from his last LIV appearance after previous lifetime bans were softened. ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reported Koepka formally applied to reactivate his PGA membership last Friday.
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His potential suspension would end in August 2026, just as the season closes with the Tour Championship. This would make him eligible for the 2027 PGA Tour season, featuring a compressed schedule of nearly two dozen $20 million events with limited elite fields — perfect timing for a comeback and appealing to PGA Tour Enterprises investors.
Jon Rahm recently predicted on the \”Subpar\” podcast that Koepka might return to the PGA Tour, possibly playing a minimal schedule focusing on big tournaments and could expand if qualifying for high-profile events. The PGA Tour’s returning member program, which allows select LIV players to rejoin without suspension, applies here, especially considering Koepka’s 2023 PGA Championship win as his fifth major.
Update: Koepka was reinstated to PGA Tour membership immediately and will play at the Farmers Insurance Open in late January at Torrey Pines, with participation confirmed for the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale. The \”Returning Member Program\” is a special rule created last Thursday that grants exemption to recent major and Players Championship winners returning from LIV golf. PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp stated this is a one-time opportunity, ending February 2, with no guarantee of repetition. Koepka must pay $5 million to the PGA Tour charity fund and is excluded from FedEx Cup bonuses and capital investment programs for five years.
DeChambeau Confirms LIV Participation for 2026
Meanwhile, Bryson DeChambeau officially confirmed he will compete in the 2026 LIV Golf League season with his Crushers team, including Charles Howell III, Paul Casey, and Anirban Lahiri, continuing into their fifth year. No general contract extension has been announced, fueling speculation about behind-the-scenes negotiations to retain LIV’s most marketable player after