First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh is back, Charley Hull to launch YouTube channel. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf League season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion will remain connected to the competing circuit but needs more family time, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil. Though Koepka is a competitor who thrives on high-level contests, his enthusiasm for LIV was limited. After switching to the Saudi-backed league in 2022 due to injury concerns and to secure a solid retirement fund, his skipping the final contractual season raises questions about potential buyouts and his ownership status of LIV team Smash GC, now captained by Talor Gooch.
Speculation centers on where Koepka will play next — the DP World Tour, where he would be immediately eligible possibly with a penalty, or the PGA Tour, where a one-year suspension since his last LIV event remains, albeit reduced from former lifetime bans. Notably, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reinstate his PGA Tour membership, as reported by ESPN’s Mark Schlabach.
An eventual suspension would end in August, coinciding with the Tour Championship concluding the 2026 season; Koepka would be eligible for 2027 under the PGA Tour’s new schedule featuring around two dozen $20 million events with limited elite fields — an ideal reentry point for the competitor. Investors in PGA Tour Enterprises would welcome this prominent name.
Jon Rahm recently stated on the \”Subpar\” podcast, \”He might take some time, but I think he’ll return to the PGA Tour. He’ll likely play at least the minimum, the tournaments he likes, the big ones. If he qualifies or gets invites to high-profile events, he’ll play those too.\” Furthermore, the player board, competition committee led by Tiger Woods, and majority fan sentiment support easing Koepka’s return. The magazine \”Bunkered\” found similar fan backing in an informal poll.
Update: Koepka has been granted immediate PGA Tour eligibility through the newly introduced \”Returning Member Program,\” allowing select LIV players to rejoin without suspension. He will tee off at the Farmers Insurance Open in late January at Torrey Pines and is confirmed for the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona.
DeChambeau Confirms LIV Golf Return for 2026
Bryson DeChambeau has officially confirmed he will compete in the 2026 LIV Golf League with his Crushers team, featuring Charles Howell III, Paul Casey, and Anirban Lahiri, unchanged for their fifth season. However, no general contract extension was announced, leaving room for speculation about behind-the-scenes arrangements following Koepka’s exit.
Vijay Singh: Back on PGA Tour at 62
Unexpectedly, Vijay Singh returns to the PGA Tour at age 62, using an exemption based on his career earnings rank. The three-time major champion from Fiji debuts this week at the Sony Open in Hawaii, having previously won five titles on the PGA Tour Champions, including the Senior Players Championship.