First start at Farmers, Vijay Singh returns too, and Charley Hull launches YouTube channel. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka opted out of the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion will remain affiliated with the rival circuit but needs more family time, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil. However, Koepka, a fierce competitor, had limited motivation in LIV events. He joined LIV in 2022 partly due to injury concerns and to secure a strong retirement fund. Questions remain if he had to buy out or refund part of his guaranteed money and whether he remains owner of LIV team Smash GC, which has appointed Talor Gooch as captain.
Speculations rise about which tours Koepka will join next: DP World Tour, where he’d be immediately eligible possibly with a penalty, or PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension post his last LIV event. This partial answer came as ESPN’s Mark Schlabach reported Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, terminated after 2022, aiming for reinstatement.
His suspension would expire in August, aligning with the end of the 2026 season’s Tour Championship. He would be eligible for 2027 when PGA Tour launches a compact schedule of nearly two dozen $20 million tournaments with limited elite fields—a perfect Koepka comeback setup. Top investors with PGA Tour Enterprises would welcome his return.
Jon Rahm recently anticipated on the ‘Subpar’ podcast that Koepka will return to the PGA Tour, likely playing selectively preferred big events. The PGA Tour’s board, player directors, and Tiger Woods-led competition committee might allow this, following Rory McIlroy’s recommendation to reinstate Koepka immediately.
Update: Koepka is now officially eligible to compete on the PGA Tour as of Monday evening local time and will tee off at the Farmers Insurance Open in late January at Torrey Pines. Participation in the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale is also confirmed.
This is enabled by the recent ‘Returning Member Program’ allowing select LIV players to rejoin PGA without suspension, considering Koepka’s 2023 PGA Championship win as his fifth major. The PGA Tour stated the program applies to major winners and Players champions from the last three years and ends February 2. CEO Brian Rolapp emphasized this is a one-time opportunity without precedent.
As a condition, Koepka must donate $5 million to PGA Tour charity, sits out the 2026 FedEx Cup bonus, and is excluded for five years from PGA Tour capital participation programs tied to PGA Tour Enterprises.
DeChambeau Confirms LIV Golf Participation for 2026
Bryson DeChambeau officially confirmed competing in LIV Golf’s 2026 season. His Crushers team with Charles Howell III, Paul Casey, and Anirban Lahiri remains