First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh returns too, Charley Hull to launch YouTube channel soon. 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As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf League season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner will remain connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for family. This was amicably agreed upon, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. Koepka is a competitive type who gets highly motivated and fired up only by top-level competition, which was limited at LIV. He originally switched to LIV in 2022 mainly because of injury concerns threatening his career end and to secure a solid retirement fund. Given this, his skipping the last contracted season is not surprising, though questions remain about any buyout or repayment of guaranteed money. Koepka, 35, remains the owner of LIV team Smash GC, now captained by Talor Gooch.
Speculation abounds on where Koepka will next play. The DP World Tour would allow immediate eligibility—perhaps with a fine? Or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension since his last LIV start after the previous lifetime bans by former commissioner Jay Monahan were softened? The PGA Tour fully benefits from allowing returning LIV players, especially prominent ones like Koepka who hold leverage. This critical question seems partly answered: ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reported Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which he did not renew after 2022.