First start at the Farmers, Vijay Singh returns, Charley Hull heads to YouTube. The Back Nine.
It was expected: Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the LIV Golf League for the 2026 season starting February 7 in Riyadh. The five-time major winner remains connected to the competing circuit but needs more time for his family, according to the LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s statement. Koepka is a competitive player who thrives in top-level sports confrontations, which he somewhat lacked in LIV. He originally switched to LIV in 2022 due to injury concerns and for a solid retirement payout. Questions remain whether he had to buy out or return part of his guaranteed fee. Koepka remains the owner of LIV team Smash GC, which named Talor Gooch as the new captain.
Speculations arise on which fairways Koepka will soon appear. He would be immediately eligible on the DP World Tour, likely with a penalty fee, or on the PGA Tour where he faces a one-year suspension from the last LIV event following the easing of previously lifetime bans. According to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally requested last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which was not renewed after 2022, to rejoin the players’ circle.
Any suspension would expire in August, towards the end of the 2026 season with the Tour Championship. Koepka would be eligible to play in 2027, coinciding with the PGA Tour’s compressed schedule of nearly two dozen $20 million events featuring limited elite fields — an ideal comeback timing. Investors in PGA Tour Enterprises supporting the new top league would welcome another big name.
Jon Rahm recently said on the podcast \”Subpar\”, \”He might need some time, but I think he’ll 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 participates in high-profile tournaments, he will play those too.\” The competition committee led by Tiger Woods and player directors, following Rory McIlroy’s recommendation to allow Koepka to play immediately, might waive suspensions. This view seems shared by many fans according to a \”Bunkered\” magazine survey.
Update: \”And perhaps the five-time major winner will get a break in Ponte Vedra Beach\” – this has happened. News spread quickly that Koepka is immediately reinstated to PGA Tour membership and will play at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in late January. His participation in the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale is also confirmed. This is enabled by the new \”Returning Member Program\” allowing select LIV players to rejoin the PGA Tour without suspension.
DeChambeau Confirms LIV Start for 2026
Bryson DeChambeau has officially confirmed his participation in the LIV Golf League in 2026. His Crushers team with Charles Howell III, Paul Casey, and Anirban Lahiri will enter the fifth season unchanged. However, DeChambeau has not announced a general contract extension, sparking speculation about behind-the-scenes arrangements to retain the league’s most marketable star beyond Koepka.