First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh eager to compete again, Charley Hull to launch YouTube channel. The Back Nine.
It was expected: Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf League season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner will remain connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for family. This was mutually agreed upon, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. Koepka is a competitor who is highly motivated and thrives in top-level competition, something he found limited at LIV. He joined LIV in 2022 largely due to injury concerns and to secure a substantial retirement fund. Thus, skipping the last contracted season is not surprising, though questions remain about financial arrangements and ownership of his LIV team Smash GC, which has appointed Talor Gooch as captain.
Speculation abounds regarding which fairways Koepka will next appear on. The DP World Tour immediately grants him eligibility, possibly with a penalty fee, or the PGA Tour, where he would face a one-year suspension since his last LIV event, following the significant reduction of former commissioner Jay Monahan’s lifetime bans. Why be vindictive when every returning LIV player, especially a prominent one, benefits the stronger established tour? This question seems partially answered. ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reported that last Friday, Koepka formally applied to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which had not been renewed after 2022, aiming to rejoin the player roster.
Update: The speculation proved true as news quickly spread that Koepka is immediately eligible to compete on the PGA Tour, with participation at the Farmers Insurance Open in late January at Torrey Pines confirmed. Also confirmed is his entry at the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona. This became possible through a newly introduced \”Returning Member Program\” allowing select LIV players to rejoin the PGA Tour without serving suspensions.
A potential suspension would have expired in August, coinciding with the end of the 2026 season at the Tour Championship from August 27-30. Koepka would be eligible for 2027, coinciding with PGA Tour’s new schedule of nearly two dozen $20 million events with limited, highly competitive fields—a perfect time for his return. This would also please investors at PGA Tour Enterprises, likely the new top league’s backers, who would welcome a drawcard like Koepka.
\”He may need some time, but I think he will return to the PGA Tour,\” Jon Rahm recently said on the \”Subpar\” podcast. \”He will probably play at least the minimum, and why not the tournaments he likes, the big ones. If he qualifies or can participate in high-profile events, he would play those too.\” Possibly, the PGA Tour might show leniency toward the five-time major champion; decisions on suspensions involve the board, player directors, and the competition committee led by Tiger Woods—who, along with Rory McIlroy, supports Koepka’s immediate return. A majority of fans appear to agree, according to an informal poll by the magazine \”Bunkered.\”