First start at the Farmers, Vijay Singh ready to compete again, Charley Hull launching on YouTube. The Back Nine news.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has opted out of the 2026 LIV Golf season, starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion remains connected to the competing circuit but needs more family time. This amicable agreement was the official statement from LIV CEO Scott McNeil. Koepka is a competitor who thrives on high-level competition, something LIV rarely provided. He joined LIV in 2022 mainly because injury had threatened to end his career and he sought a solid retirement fund. The decision to forgo his final contract year is not surprising, though questions remain about contract buyouts or salary repayments. The 35-year-old still owns his LIV team, Smash GC, now captained by Talor Gooch.
Speculation grows about where Koepka will play next—on the DP World Tour where he’d be eligible immediately, likely with a penalty, or on the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension since his last LIV event after previous lifetime bans were softened. Why hold grudges when LIV returnees bolster the PGA Tour’s leverage? This question seemed partly answered when ESPN reporter Mark Schlabach revealed Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which was not extended after 2022.
An eventual suspension would end in August, coinciding with the 2026 season close at the Tour Championship August 27-30. Koepka would be eligible for 2027’s season, featuring a compressed schedule of about two dozen $20 million events with limited, top-tier fields—perfect timing for his return. PGA Tour Enterprises investors would welcome such a marquee name.
\”He may need some time, but I think he’ll return to the PGA Tour,\” Jon Rahm said recently on the ‘Subpar’ podcast. \”He’ll probably play the minimum and why not pick the big tournaments he likes? If he can qualify for or play in those top events, he would.\” Perhaps Ponte Vedra Beach might show leniency towards the five-time major winner, involving the board, player directors, and Tiger Woods-led competition committee—all inclined to follow Rory McIlroy’s recommendation to reinstate Koepka immediately. A majority of fans seem to agree, according to a non-representative ‘Bunkered’ poll.
Update: Koepka is now immediately eligible to play on the PGA Tour and will tee off at the Farmers Insurance Open in late January at Torrey Pines. His participation at the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale, Arizona, is confirmed. This was enabled by the newly introduced ‘Returning Member Program’ permitting select LIV players to rejoin the PGA Tour without suspension.
DeChambeau Confirms 2026 LIV Golf Return
Bryson DeChambeau officially confirmed he’ll join the LIV Golf League in 2026. His Crushers team with Charles Howell III, Paul Casey, and Anirban Lahiri enters its fifth season intact. Interestingly, DeChambeau hasn’t announced a new contract extension, sparking speculation about behind-the-scenes dealings to retain LIV’s most marketable