First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh wants to compete again, Charley Hull launching on YouTube soon. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion will stay connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for his family. This was agreed upon amicably, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil. However, Koepka is a competitive type who gets motivated and fired up by top-level competition, which he experienced only to a limited extent at LIV. He had switched to the Saudi-backed league in 2022 mainly because injuries made him doubt continuing his career and he wanted to secure a solid retirement fund. Therefore, forgoing the final contractual season is not surprising, although questions remain about any possible buyout or payback of guaranteed salary. Does the 35-year-old remain owner of his LIV team Smash GC, which has appointed Talor Gooch as captain?
Speculation is rife about where Koepka will play next — the DP World Tour where he would be immediately eligible, possibly with a penalty? Or the PGA Tour, where he must serve a one-year suspension since his last LIV event, after former commissioner Jay Monahan eased the earlier lifetime bans? There’s a logic to not being vindictive, especially as every LIV returnee benefits the established Tour. This question seems partially answered: ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reported that last Friday Koepka formally applied to reactivate his PGA Tour membership not extended after 2022 and to be reinstated as a player.