First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh aims for a comeback, Charley Hull launches YouTube channel soon. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh. The five-time major champion will remain connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for his family, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. However, Koepka is known as a competitive player who thrives on high-level competition, something he found limited on LIV. He moved to LIV in 2022 primarily due to injuries and the prospect of securing a solid retirement fund. Thus, skipping his final contractual season is not surprising, although questions remain whether he had to buy out or repay part of the guaranteed salary. He still owns his LIV team Smash GC, which has named Talor Gooch as captain.
Speculation rises about which fairways Koepka will next appear on. The DP World Tour could grant him immediate playing rights, possibly with a penalty, or the PGA Tour, where he must serve a one-year suspension from his last LIV event. The lifetime bans imposed by former Commissioner Jay Monahan have since been significantly eased. It’s in no one’s interest to be vindictive when every prominent LIV returnee benefits the established tour. This issue seems partially resolved. According to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership and rejoin the player ranks after not renewing in 2022.