First start at the Farmers, Vijay Singh back on the PGA Tour, and Charley Hull launching a YouTube channel. 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As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf League season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion will remain connected to the rival circuit but needs more family time, according to a friendly agreement stated by LIV CEO Scott McNeill. Koepka, known as a competitive athlete who thrives in high-level contests, found limited motivation in LIV, having joined in 2022 mainly due to injury concerns and financial planning for retirement. Questions remain about financial arrangements and his ownership of the LIV team Smash GC, captained by Talor Gooch.
Speculation is rife about where Koepka will next play. He is immediately eligible for the DP World Tour, possibly subject to a penalty, or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension after his last LIV event, though lifetime bans imposed by former Commissioner Jay Monahan have been significantly softened. ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reported that Koepka formally applied last Friday to reinstate his PGA Tour membership and rejoin the players’ circle.
Any suspension would expire in August, coinciding with the 2026 season concluding after the Tour Championship. Koepka would be eligible for 2027 under the PGA Tour’s new condensed schedule featuring about two dozen $20 million tournaments with limited, top-tier fields – a perfect timing for his comeback. Investors in PGA Tour Enterprises would welcome another star player.
Jon Rahm recently expressed optimism on the \”Subpar\” podcast, expecting Koepka to return to the PGA Tour, likely playing a minimum number of events, especially the big ones he prefers. The player board and the Tiger Woods-led competition committee might ease rulings for a five-time major winner, also reflecting Rory McIlroy’s recommendation to reinstate Koepka immediately.
Update: Koepka is now immediately eligible to play on the PGA Tour and will tee off at the Farmers Insurance Open in late January at Torrey Pines, with participation at the WM Phoenix Open also confirmed. This is enabled by the recently established \”Returning Member Program,\” allowing select LIV players to rejoin the PGA Tour without suspension. Koepka’s recent sporting merits, notably his 2023 PGA Championship win, were decisive.
The PGA Tour states this special policy applies to major winners and Players champions of the past three years and is a one-time opportunity ending February 2. PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp warns this is not precedent-setting. This decision likely concerns Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cam Smith, causing unease in the LIV Golf League.
Koepka’s penalty for joining LIV is modest: a $5 million donation to the PGA Tour charity fund and exclusion from the 2026 FedEx Cup bonus system and five years from the PGA Tour’s capital participation program.