Bryson DeChambeau confirms LIV Golf League start in 2026, Vijay Singh aims for another run, and Charley Hull is soon launching her own YouTube channel. The Back Nine.
Expected? Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the LIV Golf League for the 2026 season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner remains connected to the competing circuit but needs more family time. This was reportedly agreed upon amicably, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil. Koepka is a competitor who thrives when competing at the highest level, something LIV only partially provided. He originally moved to LIV in 2022 fearing his career was ending due to injury and to secure a solid retirement fund. Thus, skipping the last contractually obligated season is not surprising, but questions remain. Did he have to buy out or return part of his guaranteed paycheck? Does he remain an owner of his LIV team Smash GC, which has appointed Talor Gooch as new captain?
There’s much speculation about which fairways Koepka will appear on next. The DP World Tour would immediately grant him eligibility, probably with a penalty? Or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension since his last LIV event, after the original lifetime bans by former Commissioner Jay Monahan were significantly reduced? Why be vindictive when every LIV returnee, especially a prominent one, plays into the hands of the tour already in a stronger position? This key question seems partially answered. According to ESPN’s Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which lapsed after 2022, aiming to rejoin the player ranks.
DeChambeau confirms LIV start for 2026
Meanwhile, Bryson DeChambeau officially confirmed he will compete in the LIV Golf League in 2026. His Crushers team with Charles Howell III, Paul Casey, and Anirban Lahiri remains unchanged going into the fifth season. Interestingly, DeChambeau has not announced a general contract extension, leaving room for speculation about behind-the-scenes negotiations to retain LIV’s most marketable active player after Koepka’s exit. More to come on this.
Vijay Singh, 62, back on PGA Tour
In a surprising move, 62-year-old three-time major champion Vijay Singh from Fiji uses his career money list exemption to return to the PGA Tour, starting this week at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Singh previously competed on the PGA Tour Champions, winning five titles including the Senior Players Championship.
Other notable golf news
The Tomorrow’s Golf League (TGL) struggles with TV ratings in its second season without Tiger Woods. The season opener on ABC gathered only 646,000 viewers, down from 919,000 in the premiere on ESPN, and the second match drew just 354,000 viewers. Woods’ appearances in season one reliably boosted ratings. The TGL founders Woods, Rory McIlroy, and Mike McCarley now face a challenge to find a new ‘eye catcher,’ an almost impossible task given Woods’ unmatched drawing power.
Charley Hull announced she will start her own YouTube channel this summer, following