First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh back in action, Charley Hull launching on YouTube soon. 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As expected: Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner remains connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for family. This was a friendly agreement, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil. Koepka is a competitor who thrives under top-level sporting challenges, something he only partly found in LIV. He originally joined LIV in 2022 primarily because of injury concerns about ending his career and to secure a solid retirement fund. Hence, skipping his final contractual season is unsurprising, though questions remain. Did he have to pay a buyout or return part of his guaranteed salary? Is he still an owner of his LIV team Smash GC, which has named Talor Gooch as its new captain?
Speculation is rife about where Koepka will next play. The DP World Tour could immediately grant him playing rights—likely with a penalty—or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension from the last LIV event, despite former Commissioner Jay Monahan reducing lifetime bans significantly. Why be vindictive when every LIV returnee benefits the more established PGA Tour? This question appears partially answered as ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reported Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which had not been extended after 2022.
Any suspension would expire in August, coinciding with the end of the 2026 season and Tour Championship (August 27-30). Koepka would be eligible for 2027 if the PGA Tour launches its new schedule, featuring about two dozen $20 million tournaments with limited top fields—a perfect comeback timing for Koepka. PGA Tour Enterprises investors would welcome another high-profile name.
Jon Rahm recently said on the \”Subpar\” podcast, \”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 gets invites to high-profile events, he’ll play those too.\” There might be leniency from the competition committee led by Tiger Woods, and Rory McIlroy recommends letting Koepka play immediately. Fan sentiment aligns with this view, according to a ‘Bunkered’ magazine informal poll.
Update: The rumored leniency came true: Koepka is now immediately eligible