Five-time PGA Tour winner confirms first start since LIV Golf exit

Former LIV Golf captain Kevin Na has confirmed his first start since his departure from the league. 

Na, a five-time PGA Tour winner, was among the first players to be recruited by the PIF-backed breakaway in 2022. 

He was assigned the captaincy of the Iron Heads quartet, but the American and his team struggled considerably over the last few seasons. 

They finished rock bottom of the team standings twice, whilst Na's best individual performance saw him share sixth place at their stop in Hong Kong in 2024. 

It was his only top-10 in 48 starts. 

Over the winter, LIV decided to rebrand the team to Korean Golf Club and replaced Na at the helm with PGA Tour veteran Byeong Hun An. 

Na wasn't the only departure from the team, with Jinichiro Kozuma seemingly replaced because he is from Japan and not Korea. 

Kozuma found out he was surplus to requirements after reading about the news on social media, according to a report by Sports Illustrated.

The PGA Tour have confirmed that Na has applied to be reinstated but it remains to be seen when and where he will be able to tee up as he still has "outstanding disciplinary violations". 

In the meantime, it appears Na will ply his trade on the Asian Tour's International Series. 

He has entered the New Zealand Open at Millbrook Golf Resort later this month. 

The tournament, which gets underway on 26 February, is also part of the Open Qualifying Series. 

Na not the only ex-LIV player seeking PGA Tour return

Brooks Koepka became the highest-profile player to return to the PGA Tour in January. 

The five-time major winner quit LIV Golf in December 2025 and was reinstated to the American circuit via a returning members programme. 

As part of his return, Koepka had to make a $5m donation to charity and forfeit equity in the Tour for five years. 

He's also not allowed to collect FedEx Cup bonus money this season and has to play his way into the signature events. 

Days after Koepka returned, Patrick Reed announced he wanted to cross back over. 

The 2018 Masters champion wasn't eligible for the returning members programme, though, and will have to wait until July at the earliest to make his first PGA Tour start in more than four years. 

Reed is permitted to play in the co-sanctioned Genesis Scottish Open, according to bunkered. 

Aside from Na, Hudson Swafford and Pat Perez have had their PGA Tour memberships reinstated. 

Perez and Swafford are in the process of serving disciplinary action, likely because they were both part of the 11-strong contingent of players who previously took legal action against the PGA Tour in August 2022. 

Both players will be eligible to return to PGA Tour action from 1 January 2027.