First start already at Farmers, Vijay Singh eager to compete again, Charley Hull soon on YouTube. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion remains connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for family. This was amicably agreed upon, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil. Koepka, a competitor who thrives under high-level competition, had limited motivation at LIV. He originally joined LIV in 2022 due to injury concerns about his career and to secure a substantial retirement fund. Thus, his decision to skip the last contractual season is unsurprising, though questions remain about possible buyouts or repayments. He also remains owner of the LIV team Smash GC, which recently appointed Talor Gooch as captain.
Speculations abound about which tour Koepka will join next—DP World Tour, where he could play immediately, possibly with a penalty, or PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension following his last LIV event after lifetime bans were softened. It makes sense not to be vengeful since any LIV returnee, especially prominent ones like Koepka, benefits the established tours. ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reported that Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which was not renewed after 2022, aiming to rejoin the playing group.
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Any suspension would end in August, coinciding with the conclusion of the 2026 season at the Tour Championship from August 27-30. Koepka would be eligible for 2027 under the PGA Tour’s new condensed schedule featuring nearly two dozen $20 million tournaments with limited elite fields, the perfect timing for his comeback. PGA Tour Enterprises investors would surely welcome such a high-profile name.
\”He might need some time but I believe he will return to the PGA Tour,\” said Jon Rahm recently in 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 is invited, he’d play those too.\” There is speculation that Koepka might receive leniency on his suspension by the PGA Tour’s board, player directors, and the competition committee led by Tiger Woods, following Rory McIlroy’s recommendation to allow Koepka to play immediately. A majority of fans appear to agree, as found by a non-representative \”Bunkered\” magazine survey.
Update: \”Maybe the five-time major champion got a break in Ponte Vedra Beach\”—and indeed he did. It quickly spread that Koepka is immediately eligible to play on the PGA Tour, with confirmed starts at the Farmers Insurance Open in late January at Torrey Pines and the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona. This was enabled by the newly introduced \”Returning Member Program,\” allowing select LIV players to rejoin the PGA Tour without suspension.