First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh back in action, 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As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner stays connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for family.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 competitor who thrives on high-level competition, which he found limited at LIV. He originally joined LIV in 2022 due to injury concerns about ending his career early and to secure a good retirement fund. Thus, withdrawing from the final contract year is not surprising, although questions remain whether he had to buy out or refund part of his guaranteed payout, and if he remains an owner of LIV team Smash GC, which has already appointed Talor Gooch as new captain.
Speculation is rife about which fairways Koepka will appear on next—whether on the DP World Tour where he would be immediately eligible, likely with a penalty, or on the PGA Tour where he faces a one-year suspension after his last LIV appearance, although the lifetime bans imposed by former Commissioner Jay Monahan have been significantly softened. Why be vindictive when every LIV returnee, particularly a prominent one, benefits the PGA Tour that holds more leverage? This question seems partially answered. According to ESPN’s Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which had not been renewed after 2022, effectively rejoining the player ranks.