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As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner remains connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for family. This was mutually agreed upon, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. Koepka is known as a competitor who gets motivated and fired up mainly by high-level contests, something LIV Golf couldn’t fully offer him. He joined LIV in 2022 mainly because he thought his career was ending due to injuries and wanted a good retirement payout for his personal pension fund. Given this, his skipping the final contracted season is not surprising, though questions remain: Did he have to buy out or repay part of his guaranteed fee? Does the 35-year-old remain the owner of his LIV team Smash GC, which recently appointed Talor Gooch as captain?
Speculation abounds about which fairways Koepka will soon appear on. The DP World Tour would grant him immediate playing rights, possibly with a penalty fee. The PGA Tour would require him to serve a one-year suspension since his last LIV appearance, as lifelong bans imposed by former commissioner Jay Monahan have been considerably softened. Why hold grudges when every LIV returnee ultimately benefits the PGA Tour, which holds the upper hand? This key question seems partially answered. ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reported that last Friday Koepka formally applied to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which had not been renewed after 2022, and to be reinstated as a player member.