PGA Implements “Returning Member Program" for Brooks Koepka

The PGA Tour has introduced a new initiative called the Returning Member Program and the golf world is taking notice. This one-time program provides a pathway back to the PGA Tour for elite players who previously left the tour to compete elsewhere. The first and most prominent golfer to rejoin under this policy is Brooks Koepka, who has left the LIV Golf Tour and will return to the PGA Tour competition at the Farmers Insurance Open, Jan 29 - Feb 1, 2026 at Torrey Pines Golf Course.

This development is significant not only for fans eager to see top players back on golf’s biggest stage but also for how it reflects the evolution of the sport. Just as the PGA Tour continues to adapt its membership rules, performance technology and personalized training are transforming how golfers prepare and compete. AI fitting and data-driven improvement tools are now emerging as essential elements of modern golf, even if they are not rules of play. We will summarize the key aspects of the tour’s Returning Member Program and connect them to the broader trend toward individualized performance enhancement.

What the Returning Member Program Is All About

The PGA Tour’s new program was created to allow select elite players who have been away for at least two years to rejoin the Tour without having to rely on traditional qualification routes. To be eligible, players must have won one of golf’s major championships or THE PLAYERS Championship between 2022 and 2025.

Brooks Koepka, a nine-time PGA Tour winner and five-time major champion, fits that criteria based on his 2023 PGA Championship victory. His reinstatement comes after leaving LIV Golf in late 2025. Under the terms of the program Koepka has agreed to commitments that include playing a minimum number of events and accepting certain financial consequences related to Tour equity incentives. Koepka’s return is scheduled for the Farmers Insurance Open and the WM Phoenix Open. The program is intended as a special opportunity rather than a new ongoing policy. Only a small number of players such as Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, and Cameron Smith are currently eligible to apply by the early February deadline under the same criteria.

What It Means for Professional Golf

The creation of the Returning Member Program reflects continued changes in professional golf competition and governance. The PGA Tour’s leadership has made clear that fan interest in seeing the strongest fields possible was a factor in introducing the program. The Tour is managing eligibility and penalties carefully to maintain opportunities for current members while welcoming back elite talent.

This approach parallels a broader shift within the sport toward adaptation and performance science. Just as professional tours refine rules and membership pathways to enhance competition, many golfers of all levels are turning to technology and data to refine their equipment, technique, practice, and training.

Connecting the Dots

The PGA Tour’s new Returning Member Program is a reminder that golf continues to evolve at every level. On tour the changes are structural and competitive. Off the course, and in practice routines around the world, golfers are embracing technology to get better faster.

Whether you are following Koepka’s return or working to break 90 for the first time, the same principle applies: improvement requires data, insight, and adaptation. Professional golf is refining how players qualify and compete. The everyday game is benefiting from smart fitting and performance analysis like AI driven recommendations from golfgaim.

That is how the sport continues to grow smarter, more precise, and more personal.

The CEO of the PGA, Brian Rolapp tour also posted this open letter to fans:

As the 2026 PGA TOUR Season begins this week at the Sony Open in Hawaii, I wanted to provide an update to our fans on recent player developments that have been in the news, as well as the PGA TOUR’s response to this unique situation.

Since becoming CEO last year, my primary focus has been a commitment to our fans to create the best version of the PGA TOUR. I promised that together we would respect the past while building the future, challenging ourselves to reach new fans and create a TOUR that both reflects the best of sports competition and retains the elite competitive environment our fans expect every week.

I’ve been fortunate to hear and learn from so many of our fans on what makes the PGA TOUR special, along with the ways we can further enhance the drama and consequence of competing at the highest level of the game. And one thing has been clear across each of those conversations—you all want the best players in the world competing against each other more often.

On December 23, 2025, Brooks Koepka notified the PGA TOUR that his previous affiliation had concluded, and he subsequently applied for reinstatement of TOUR membership. This prompted our Boards to evaluate how we deliver the best version of the PGA TOUR for our fans, players and partners—with severe and justified consequences—which has resulted in our new Returning Member Program.

Designed to provide an alternative path back to PGA TOUR competition for past members who have achieved the highest accomplishments in the game, the Returning Member Program mandates heavy and appropriate limitations to both tournament access and potential earnings that we believe properly holds returning members accountable for substantial compensation earned elsewhere. It also includes elite performance-based criteria that requires winning THE PLAYERS Championship, Masters Tournament, PGA Championship, U.S. Open or The Open Championship between 2022 and 2025.

Its strict limitations, which Brooks has agreed to, include a five-year forfeiture of potential equity in the PGA TOUR's Player Equity Program, representing one of the largest financial repercussions in professional sports history, with estimations that he could miss out on approximately $50-85 million in potential earnings, depending on his competitive performance and the growth of the TOUR. At the request of the PGA TOUR, Brooks has also agreed to make a $5 million charitable contribution, the recipient(s) of which will be determined jointly.

Importantly, the Returning Member Program will not take away playing opportunities from current members—fields will be expanded as needed.

Other eligible players interested in seeking PGA TOUR reinstatement must do so by the time the Returning Member Program closes on Monday, February 2. This is a one-time, defined window and does not set a precedent for future situations. Once the door closes, there is no promise that this path will be available again.

We will continue to aggressively pursue anything that enhances the fan experience and makes the PGA TOUR stronger. 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.

Koepka had this to say on X(twitter):

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 PGA Tour, and I am just as excited today to announce that I am returning to the PGA TOUR. 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.