First start at the Farmers, Vijay Singh still eager, Charley Hull to launch on YouTube soon. 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As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf League season starting February 7 in Riyadh.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 winner remains connected to the rival circuit but requires more family time. This was reportedly amicably agreed upon, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. Koepka is a competitor who thrives on high-level contests, which he found limited in LIV. Having joined in 2022 mainly due to injury concerns and for securing a lucrative retirement fund, his skipping the final contracted season is unsurprising, though questions remain about potential buyouts or salary returns. At 35, he still owns his LIV team Smash GC, now captained by Talor Gooch.
Speculation swirls about which fairways Koepka will next appear on—DP World Tour where he could play immediately, possibly with a penalty, or PGA Tour where he must serve a one-year suspension since his last LIV event, following softened lifetime bans by former commissioner Jay Monahan. The key question seems partly answered. ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reports Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which was not extended post-2022.
His suspension would run until August, coinciding with the Tour Championship end of the 2026 season. Koepka would then be eligible for 2027, aligning with the PGA Tour’s compressed schedule of nearly two dozen $20 million events featuring limited, highly ranked fields—perfect timing for a comeback. PGA Tour Enterprises’ investors would welcome another marquee name.
Jon Rahm recently said on the \”Subpar\” podcast, \”He may need some time, but I think he will return to the PGA Tour. He’ll probably play at least the minimum, and why not the tournaments he likes, the big ones. If he qualifies or gets into high-profile events, he’d play those too.\” The PGA Tour board, player directors, and the Tiger Woods-led competition committee—with influence from Rory McIlroy who supports Koepka’s return—may be lenient toward the five-time major champion.
Update: It happened as speculated. On Monday evening local time, news spread fast that Koepka is immediately eligible to play on the PGA Tour and will tee off at the Farmers Insurance Open late January at Torrey Pines. His participation at the WM Phoenix Open in Arizona’s TPC Scottsdale is confirmed.
This is enabled by the newly created \”Returning Member Program,\” which allows selected LIV players to rejoin the PGA Tour without suspension, considering recent sporting merits like Koepka’s 2023 PGA Championship win.
The PGA Tour states this special rule applies to major and Players champions from the last three years, with a February 2 deadline. CEO Brian Rolapp calls it a one-time, well-defined opportunity with no guarantee of