Bryson DeChambeau confirms LIV Golf 2026 start, Vijay Singh returns to PGA Tour at 62, and Charley Hull is set to launch her own YouTube channel. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner remains connected to the rival circuit but needs more family time. LIV CEO Scott McNeil issued an amicable statement to that effect. Koepka is a competitor who thrives on high-level contests but has shown limited motivation at LIV. He switched in 2022 mainly due to injury concerns about ending his career early and to secure a good retirement fund. Thus, skipping his last contracted season is not surprising, though questions remain about buyouts or salary repayments. He still owns his LIV team Smash GC, now captained by Talor Gooch.
Speculation surrounds where Koepka will play next. The DP World Tour would immediately grant eligibility—likely with a penalty—or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year ban since his last LIV event after former commissioner Jay Monahan softened lifetime bans. Why be vindictive when returning LIV players generally benefit the established tour? This question got a partial answer when ESPN’s Mark Schlabach reported Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which was not renewed after 2022.
An eventual suspension would end in August, coinciding with the 2026 Tour Championship conclusion. However, Koepka would be eligible for 2027 when the PGA Tour launches a condensed schedule of nearly two dozen $20-million tournaments with limited elite fields—the perfect comeback timing. Investors in PGA Tour Enterprises, the potential new top league, would surely welcome such a marquee name.
\”He may need some time, but I think he will return to the PGA Tour,\” said Jon Rahm on the \”Subpar\” podcast. \”He’ll probably at least play the minimum, and why not his favorite big events? If he qualifies or gets invited to high-profile tournaments, he would play those too.\” The five-time major winner might get leniency from the board, player directors, and Tiger Woods-led competition committee, especially following Rory McIlroy’s recommendation to let Koepka play immediately. A majority of fans seem to agree, according to a non-representative survey by \”Bunkered.\”
DeChambeau Confirms LIV Golf Start in 2026
Bryson DeChambeau officially confirmed he will play in the 2026 LIV Golf League. His Crushers team with Charles Howell III, Paul Casey, and Anirban Lahiri heads into its fifth season unchanged. Interestingly, DeChambeau has not announced a general contract extension, leaving room for speculation about behind-the-scenes arrangements to retain LIV’s most marketable player after Koepka’s departure.
Vijay Singh: PGA Tour Return at Age 62
In a surprising move, Vijay Singh returns to the PGA Tour at age 62. The three-time major champion from Fiji uses an exemption based on his career money list standing and will start at the Sony Open in