Brooks Koepka’s return signals a defining year for men’s professional golf
Brooks Koepka is set to rejoin the PGA Tour at the end of January, completing a full competitive cycle away from the circuit. Although frequently described as “four years away”, his absence in strict terms spans around three and a half years since joining LIV Golf in July 2022, effectively making 2026 his fourth season away from the PGA Tour.
His reinstatement comes via a newly created Returning Member Programme designed for elite players who have spent at least two years outside the tour and secured a major or The Players in recent seasons. The move immediately places Koepka back into full-field events, beginning with the Farmers Insurance Open.
The return carries significant consequences. Koepka will make a $5m charitable donation, forgo FedExCup bonus payments in 2026 and remain excluded from the Player Equity Programme from 2026 to 2030, with projected forfeited value reaching tens of millions of dollars. He acknowledged both the excitement and penalties of the decision, saying he accepts the financial consequences associated with returning.
Who could follow Koepka back?
Eligibility parameters also create potential openings for Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Smith, all recent major champions who fit the criteria and have spent the qualifying time away from the PGA Tour. A crucial detail is the deadline: the opportunity to use the Returning Member Programme closes on 2 February 2026. After that date, the pathway is not guaranteed to exist.
Any return would involve financial penalties and lost equity participation, but access to deeper fields, ranking opportunities and traditional structures may tempt some players to reconsider their positions.
LIV Golf 2026: expanded schedule and new format
While Koepka prepares for his PGA Tour comeback, the 2026 LIV Golf season is set with 14 events across ten countries and five continents. The campaign begins in Riyadh from 4–7 February, with all rounds played under lights.
A major structural change arrives this year: tournaments move from 54 holes to 72 holes, extending events to four rounds and aligning more closely with conventional championship formats. The league maintains 13 teams of up to four players each, while five Wild Card players compete independently across events. Among the headline names are Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, Cameron Smith and Tyrrell Hatton.
The calendar includes stops in Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Africa, Mexico, the USA and the UK, reinforcing LIV’s global reach.
What Koepka’s move means for the sport
Koepka’s reinstatement represents more than an individual comeback. It signals an institutional response to a divided professional landscape, offering a defined and time-limited route back for a small number of high-profile players while retaining substantial penalties.
The key narrative in early 2026 will be whether Rahm, DeChambeau or Smith act before 2 February 2026, or instead commit fully to LIV’s restructured season. Either decision path will significantly influence competitive depth, tour rivalries and player mobility.
