First start at the Farmers Insurance Open, Vijay Singh makes a comeback, Charley Hull launches YouTube channel. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion remains connected to the rival circuit but needs more family time. This was reportedly mutually agreed upon, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. Koepka is a competitive type who fires up during high-level competition, something he has found limited in LIV events. He originally joined LIV in 2022 mainly due to injury concerns that threatened to end his career, seeking a solid retirement fund from the lucrative contract. Given this, skipping the last contractual season is not surprising, though questions remain about any buyouts or refunds and whether he retains ownership of his LIV team Smash GC, which has named Talor Gooch as captain.
Speculation abounds regarding where Koepka will compete next. The DP World Tour would grant him immediate eligibility, possibly with a penalty, or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension from his last LIV appearance, though lifetime bans imposed by former Commissioner Jay Monahan have been significantly softened. There is little incentive for resentment as any prominent LIV returnee benefits the more powerful established PGA Tour. This major question seems partially answered: ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reported last Friday that Koepka formally applied to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which wasn’t renewed after 2022, to rejoin the tour’s playing ranks.
Update: Reports spread quickly 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, with participation in the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale also confirmed. This was enabled by a newly introduced ‘Returning Member Program’ allowing selected LIV players to regain PGA Tour membership without suspension.
Any potential suspension would expire in August, by which time the 2026 season ends with the Tour Championship from August 27-30. Koepka would then be eligible for 2027, coinciding with the PGA Tour’s compressed new schedule featuring nearly two dozen $20 million tournaments with exclusive, highly competitive fields. This timing aligns perfectly with Koepka’s preferences and would please investors in PGA Tour Enterprises, likely holders of the new top league, eager to add a marquee name.
\”He might need some time, but I think he’ll return to the PGA Tour,\” said Jon Rahm recently on the ‘Subpar’ podcast. \”He’ll probably at least play the minimum and why not the big tournaments he likes? If he qualifies for or gets into the big events, he’ll play those too.\” There’s even speculation that PGA officials will be lenient with the five-time major winner; decisions involve the board, player directors, and the competition committee led by Tiger Woods, following Rory McIlroy’s recommendation to reinstate Koepka immediately. Similarly, a majority of fans reportedly support this, according to a non-representative survey by ‘Bunkered’ magazine.