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As expected, five-time major winner Brooks Koepka opted out of the LIV Golf League for the 2026 season starting February 7 in Riyadh. According to LIV CEO Scott McNeil, Koepka remains connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for family. However, Koepka, known as a competitor who thrives in top-level sporting challenges, showed limited motivation in LIV. He initially joined LIV in 2022 due to injury concerns and to secure a comfortable retirement fund. Questions remain whether Koepka had to buy out his final contract year or repay part of his guaranteed salary. He remains owner of the LIV team Smash GC, now captained by Talor Gooch.
Speculation is rife about Koepka’s next playing grounds: DP World Tour, where he could play immediately likely with a penalty, or PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension since his last LIV event, albeit lifetime bans issued by former Commissioner Jay Monahan have been softened. Following reports from ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied to reactivate his PGA Tour membership last Friday, aiming to rejoin the playing field after not renewing post-2022.
An eventual suspension would expire in August, coinciding with the end of the 2026 season at the Tour Championship from August 27-30. Koepka would be eligible for 2027, aligning with the PGA Tour’s compressed schedule of nearly two dozen $20-million tournaments featuring limited elite fields — an ideal timing for his return and a valuable asset for PGA Tour Enterprises investors backing the new top league.
Jon Rahm recently expressed in the ‘Subpar’ podcast, ‘He might need some time, but I think he will return to the PGA Tour. He’ll likely play the minimum and select big tournaments he likes. If he qualifies for high-profile events, he will play those too.’ With input from the board, player directors, and Tiger Woods-led competition committee — including Rory McIlroy endorsing Koepka’s immediate return — there is potential leniency for the five-time major winner’s suspension.
Update: That is exactly what happened. Monday evening, news spread rapidly that Koepka is immediately eligible to compete on the PGA Tour and will tee off at the Farmers Insurance Open in late January at Torrey Pines. His participation in the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale is also confirmed.
This is enabled by the recently introduced ‘Returning Member Program,’ allowing select LIV players to regain PGA Tour membership without suspension. Koepka’s considerable sporting merits — notably his 2023 PGA Championship victory as his fifth major — were considered.
The PGA Tour stated that this exemption applies to major and Players Championship winners in the past three years, with a deadline of February 2. PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp emphasized this as a one-time, clearly defined opportunity without precedent for the future. This may influence other LIV players like Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cam Smith and cause unease within LIV Golf.
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