Brooks Koepka has been allowed an immediate return to the PGA Tour after leaving LIV Golf last month due to the newly introduced 'Returning Member Program'.
The five-time Major champion will make his first PGA Tour appearance in almost four years at the Farmers Insurance Open on January 29th before teeing it up in the following week's WM Phoenix Open, which he won in 2015 and 2021.
It will be his first PGA Tour start since March 2022 before his move to LIV Golf.
The new 'Returning Member Program' is a pathway for certain LIV Golfers to re-join the Tour if they have won a Major or The Players Championship between 2022-2025.
The program applies to four golfers - Koepka, Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Smith. Players looking to make use of the Returning Member Program must accept the terms by Feb 2nd.
Koepka will not receive any money from the FedEx Cup bonus pool in 2026 and is not able to join the Player Equity Program for the next five years (2026-2030), which will see him miss out on $50-85 million in potential equity earnings according to the PGA Tour.
He has also agreed to make a $5m charitable donation to recipients determined by Koepka and the Tour.
Koepka, who is exempt on the PGA Tour until 2029 after winning the 2023 PGA Championship, is not eligible for sponsor exemptions into Signature Events and must play his way into them via regular methods - Aon Next 10, Aon Swing 5, winning a tournament or reaching the world's top 30. He must play in at least 15 'cosponsored or approved' tournaments this year.
Fields featuring Koepka, or any players returning via the program, will be expanded to ensure they do not take any qualified players' spots.
An open letter from PGA TOUR CEO Brian Rolapp pic.twitter.com/jiuZk1RiLpJanuary 12, 2026
"The criteria ensures that those who have achieved the highest accomplishments in the game are eligible to return to the PGA Tour now, where the best players in the world compete week in and week out," the PGA Tour said of the new progam that has allowed Koepka's return.
“We will continue to aggressively pursue anything that enhances the fan experience and makes the PGA Tour stronger,” CEO Rolapp said in a letter to fans.
“This is part of our commitment to fans, who expect the world’s best players to compete on the PGA Tour week in and week out.”
I want to thank my family and my team for their continued support throughout every step of my professional career. When I was a child, I always dreamed about competing on the @PGATOUR, and I am just as excited today to announce that I am returning to the PGA TOUR. Being closer to… pic.twitter.com/SEIehuZN7OJanuary 12, 2026
"I want to thank my family and my team for their continued support throughout every step of my professional career. When I was a child, I always dreamed about competing on the @PGATOUR, and I am just as excited today to announce that I am returning to the PGA TOUR," Koepka said in a statement.
"Being closer to home and spending more time with my family makes this opportunity especially meaningful to me.
"I believe in where the PGA TOUR is headed with new leadership, new investors, and an equity program that gives players a meaningful ownership stake.
"I also understand there are financial penalties associated with this decision, and I accept those.
"Finally, I want to thank the fans. Your support means more to me today than ever before, and I look forward to seeing you soon at the Farmers Insurance Open and WM Phoenix Open."
