First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh eager for a comeback, Charley Hull soon launching a YouTube channel. The Back Nine.
Expected: Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion remains connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for his family. According to LIV CEO Scott McNeil, this was a friendly agreement. But Koepka is a competitor who gets motivated and fired up only by high-level competition, something he found limited in LIV. He joined LIV in 2022 mainly because injury had him fearing an early retirement and he wanted to secure a substantial retirement fund. Given that, his decision to skip the final contractual season is unsurprising, although questions remain. Did he have to buy out his contract or refund part of his guaranteed fee? Is he still an owner of his LIV team Smash GC, which has named Talor Gooch as its new captain?
Speculation is rife about which fairways Koepka will appear on next. The DP World Tour could grant immediate eligibility, possibly with a penalty payment, or the PGA Tour, where he must serve a one-year suspension since his last LIV appearance, after permanent bans set by former Commissioner Jay Monahan were significantly softened. Why be vindictive when every returning LIV player aids the well-established PGA Tour? This key question seems partially answered. ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reported that last Friday Koepka formally applied to reactivate his PGA Tour membership that had not been renewed after 2022.