By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk
HONOLULU – With The Sentry Tournament of Champions cancelled, the “Opening Drive” for the 2026 PGA Tour season is coming this weekend at The SONY Open – usually the first full field event of the season, but this year – the first event, too.
It should be a good one.
As the 2026 PGA Tour season gets underway, the biggest and best storyline is the return of Brooks Koepka from LIV Golf. For a quick review, Koepka left the Tour in 2022 with a hefty signing bonus in hand from the Saudi PIF. Many fellow Tour members followed to form the rival pro golf league.
The story is so big, there just might need to be a reunion of Gabe Kaplan’s 1975-79 hit TV comedy with a chrous of “Welcome Back Kotter, errr Koepka.”
There were mid-December rumblings of Koepka sitting out the entire 2026 season, but on January 9, ESPN reported that Koepka was seeking reinstatement, citing family and extensive international travel reasons for leaving LIV. As of January 12, PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp wrote a letter to members and fans outlining a new ‘returning player program’ which will allow Koepka a road back to playing on Tour by the Farmer’s Insurance Open at Torrey Pines (Jan 29).
As part of the agreement, Koepka will write a $5m check to the Tour’s charitable giving efforts and he’ll be subject to other limitations of forfeiting earnings from the PGA Tour player equity program which could add up to another $80m, depending on Koepka’s play on the circuit. Koepka’s past $100m deal with LIV will still keep him about $15-$20m in the black on his five-year earnings report, but sponsor exemptions, competing in the lucrative PGA TOUR Signature Events and general profit-sharing equity grants from the Tour will be docked for five years – all significant penalties that rival the biggest fines in professional sports history.
Aside from Koepka’s deal, Rolapp’s outline calls for a window between January 12 and February 2 for other players to seek reinstatement under similar terms as Koepka’s. That program, announced swiftly by the PGA Tour brass, could open the door for the return for Jon Rahm (who signed with LIV for a reported $200m), Bryson DeChambeau (currently negotiating a new deal with LIV) and Cameron Smith – all serious “major” contenders and fan favorites. The decisions for those players will all settle-out by February 2, thus avoiding disruption once the Tour hits full stride after the NFL Super Bowl when weekend TV time opens up for the sport of golf. As of this morning, Bryson, Rahm and Smith say they’re staying with LIV for 2026.
Keep in mind, the 2025 season saw PGA TOUR commissioner Jay Monahan hand over to incoming CEO Brian Rolapp, prompting Koepka to state: “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 (returning player program) 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.”
Once the February 2 window closes, there’s no guarantees what the Tour will do next season, but you can bet January 2027 will be an interesting time for the future of LIV Golf, as well as the continued well being of the PGA Tour.
Aside from the Koepka saga, there are plenty of other storylines to follow as the season gets underway:
- Although he won’t make his ‘26 debut until next week at The American Express Jan 22 at LaQuinta, the top storyline of the season will be the “eyes on” Scottie Scheffler to see if he can return to outright dominance on Tour or not. A quick reminder that Tommy Fleetwood is the reigning FedEx Cup champ. Can Scheffler return to 2024 form when he took home the FedEx Cup and some $29 million in official money/winnings?
- Will Ludvig Åberg break through as a major contender and week-to-week Top 10?
- Billy Horschel has something to prove. In 2025, he was out from April until October recovering from hip surgery. He ranks No. 53 in the world as of Jan. 2026.
- Johnny Keefer, the top player from the Korn Ferry Tour in 2025, is now competing with the big boys. Can he make a mark?
SONY Open in Hawaii | Tournament Facts
COURSE: Waialae CC in Honolulu
YARDS/PAR: 7,044 yards/Par 70
ARCHITECT: Seth Raynor
PRIZE Money – Purse: $9,100,000/$1,638,000
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Nick Taylor
PAST RESULTS: (link)
OVERVIEW: (link)
FEDEx CUP Points to Winner: 500
SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup @SonyOpenHawaii
📺 TV COVERAGE: The first two rounds (Jan 15 and 16) of the SONY Open are scheduled for TV coverage from 7:00pm to 10:30pm (ET) on Golf Channel.
- On Saturday coverage is set for 7:00pm to 10:30pm (ET) on Golf Channel.
- Sunday, Golf Channel will finish it off from 7:00pm to 10:00pm (ET).
📺 📻 TV & RADIO COVERAGE of the SONY Open
Thursday, January 15, 2026 – All Times Eastern Standard
12 Noon to 10:00pm (ET) – Streaming on ESPN+
4:00pm to 10:00pm (ET) – PGA Tour Radio (Sirius XM and Online)
7:00pm to 10:00pm (ET) – Golf Channel and Streaming on Peacock Net
PGA TOUR RADIO COVERAGE: SiriusXM Radio will have live coverage of The SONY Open beginning at 4:00pm to 10:00pm (ET) on Thursday and Friday. On Saturday, coverage will air 5:00pm to 10:00pm (ET) An, on Sunday PGA Tour Radio will air 5:00pm to 10:00pm (ET) (or to completion of event).
PGA Tour Radio is available on Sirius 208/XM 92 or online via PGATourCom
How to Watch: In case of changes, visit: (PGATourCom)
SONY Open | The Basics
Tee Times at the SONY Open on Thursday – 12:10pm (ET) to 6:19pm (ET).
Weather: Thursday’s forecast calls for mostly sunny skies with temperatures ranging from 66-77-degrees. Winds at 17 mph. A 13% chance of rain during the day.
Tournament Web Site: (Overview)
Past Results: (PGATour.com)
FedEx Cup Info: (link)