First start at Farmers, Vijay Singh returns, Charley Hull to launch YouTube channel soon. The Back Nine.
As expected: Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf League season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion will remain associated with the competing circuit but needs more time for his family. This was reportedly a friendly agreement, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil. Koepka is a competitor who thrives on high-level competition, something he lacked at LIV. He primarily joined LIV in 2022 as he feared his career was ending due to injury and wanted to secure a retirement fund. Thus, his waiver of the final contractual season is not surprising, though questions remain about potential buyouts or paybacks. Koepka remains an owner of his LIV team Smash GC, which has named Talor Gooch as the new captain.
Speculation is rife about where Koepka will next play. He would be eligible immediately on the DP World Tour, potentially with a penalty, or on the PGA Tour, where he must serve a one-year suspension after his last LIV appearance, following the moderation of previous lifetime bans by former Commissioner Jay Monahan. Given that every returning LIV player, especially a prominent one, benefits the established PGA Tour, this question has now partially been answered. ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reported Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which lapsed after 2022.
Update: \”And perhaps the five-time major champion gets a nod in Ponte Vedra Beach\” – just so it happened. News spread rapidly that Koepka is immediately eligible for PGA Tour play and will tee off at the Farmers Insurance Open in late January at Torrey Pines. Participation in the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale, Arizona, is also confirmed. This is enabled by a newly introduced rule called the \”Returning Member Program,\” which allows selected LIV players to rejoin the PGA Tour without suspension.
Koepka’s PGA Tour Membership Renewal and No Suspension
Any suspension would have expired in August, coinciding with the end of the 2026 PGA Tour season at the Tour Championship from August 27 to 30. Koepka would be eligible to compete in 2027 under the PGA Tour’s new compressed schedule of about two dozen $20 million tournaments featuring limited, top-tier fields—a perfect comeback timing suited to Koepka’s preferences. This move would also appeal to investors at PGA Tour Enterprises, likely the host of the new premier league, bringing a big name back to the fold.
Jon Rahm recently noted on the \”Subpar\” podcast, \”He might need some time, but I think he will return to the PGA Tour. He will probably play at least the minimum and why not the tournaments he likes, the big ones. If he qualifies for high-profile events or can participate by invitation, he would play those as well.\” Furthermore, the PGA Tour’s board, player directors, and Tiger Woods-led competition committee share influence over suspension decisions and apparently support Rory McIlroy’s recommendation to allow Koepka’s immediate return. A majority of fans seems to agree, according to an informal survey by \”Bunkered