Bryson DeChambeau confirms LIV start 2026, Vijay Singh returns at 62, Charley Hull to launch YouTube channel. The Back Nine.
It was expected: Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh. The five-time major winner intends to stay connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for family, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil. Koepka is known as a competitor who excels in high-level contests, something he found limited on LIV. He originally joined LIV in 2022 after injury concerns to secure his retirement funds. Questions remain whether he had to repay part of his guaranteed fee and if he remains owner of LIV’s Smash GC team, now captained by Talor Gooch.
Speculation grows about where Koepka will play next—DP World Tour, where he would be immediately eligible likely after a penalty, or the PGA Tour, where a one-year suspension applies after his last LIV appearance following softened lifetime bans by former Commissioner Jay Monahan. According to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which wasn’t renewed after 2022.
Koepka Prepares for PGA Tour Return with Membership Reapplication
His suspension would possibly end in August, coinciding with the 2026 Tour Championship. By 2027, he would be eligible to compete under the PGA Tour’s new schedule featuring nearly two dozen $20 million events with limited elite fields—a perfect moment for Koepka’s comeback, appealing also to PGA Tour Enterprises investors. Jon Rahm recently suggested on the \”Subpar\” podcast that Koepka will return, likely playing minimum events but focusing on majors and high-profile tournaments. Rory McIlroy and the Tiger Woods-led competition committee reportedly support waiving Koepka’s suspension. A majority of fans agree, per a non-representative survey by \”Bunkered.\”
DeChambeau Confirms LIV Start for 2026
Meanwhile, Bryson DeChambeau confirmed he will compete in LIV Golf in 2026. His Crushers team with Charles Howell III, Paul Casey, and Anirban Lahiri enters its fifth season unchanged. No general contract extension has been announced, raising speculation about behind-the-scenes agreements to retain LIV’s most marketable player after Koepka’s departure.
Other Golf Updates: Vijay Singh, TGL, and More
62-year-old Vijay Singh returns to PGA Tour action using a career money exemption, debuting at the Sony Open in Hawaii. The Tomorrow’s Golf League (TGL) started its second season with weak TV ratings without Tiger Woods, who had driven top viewership in season one. Woods, Rory McIlroy, and partner Mike McCarley face the challenge of finding a new star attraction. Meanwhile, Charley Hull announced a YouTube channel launching this summer, inspired by DeChambeau’s success. Jason Day cryptically announced \”I’ve quit\” on Instagram, sparking speculation he might focus full time on the newly launched YouTube channel \”The Lads.\” Tom Phillips is set to become the new CEO