First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh wants to compete again, Charley Hull soon on YouTube. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion remains connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for his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. This was a friendly agreement, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil. Koepka is a competitor who gets highly motivated and fired up only by top-level competition, which he experienced less in LIV. He had switched to LIV in 2022 mainly due to injuries that made him think his career was ending and to secure a substantial retirement fund. So his skipping the last contractually required season is not surprising, though questions remain. Did he buy out, repay part of his guaranteed salary? Does the 35-year-old remain owner of his LIV team Smash GC, which already named Talor Gooch as its new captain?
Speculation is rife about which fairways Koepka will appear on next. The DP World Tour, where he would be immediately eligible to play—likely against a penalty? Or the PGA Tour, where he must serve a one-year ban since his last LIV event, after former commissioner Jay Monahan’s lifetime bans were significantly softened? Why be vindictive when every high-profile LIV returnee benefits the more powerful tour? This key question seems partially answered. According to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, last Friday Koepka formally applied to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which was not extended after 2022, to rejoin the players’ circle.