First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh returns, Charley Hull to go YouTube soon. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner remains connected to the competing circuit but needs more family time. This was agreed upon amicably, according to official LIV CEO Scott McNeil. Koepka is a competitor who thrives on high-level competition and gets fired up, which LIV only partially provided. He initially joined LIV in 2022 mainly due to injury concerns threatening his career and to secure a solid retirement fund. Thus, skipping the final contractual season is not surprising, though questions remain about possible buyouts or salary repayments. Koepka remains the owner of his LIV team Smash GC, which has appointed Talor Gooch as the new captain.
Speculations abound on which fairways Koepka will appear on next. With immediate playing rights on the DP World Tour – possibly facing a penalty – or the PGA Tour, where he must serve a one-year suspension after his last LIV appearance, following the softening of originally lifetime bans by former Commissioner Jay Monahan. Why be vindictive when every prominent LIV returnee plays into the hands of the more powerful PGA Tour? This key question may now be partially answered. According to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reinstate his PGA Tour membership that was not renewed after 2022.