First start at the Farmers, Vijay Singh back in action, Charley Hull launching on YouTube soon. The Back Nine brings the latest updates.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner remains connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for his family. LIV CEO Scott McNeil released an amicable official statement on this. Koepka, known as a competitive player who thrives in top-level competition, showed only limited motivation at LIV. He originally joined LIV in 2022 largely due to injury concerns and to secure a strong retirement fund. Thus, skipping his last contractual season is not surprising, though questions remain about possible buyouts or paybacks. He remains the owner of the LIV team Smash GC, which recently named Talor Gooch as captain.
Speculation is rife over which tour Koepka will join next. He could play on the DP World Tour immediately, likely paying a penalty, or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension from his last LIV event—though previous lifetime bans were substantially softened. Why hold grudges when LIV returnees benefit the established tour? ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reported that Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership and be reinstated among players after not renewing post-2022.
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Koepka’s suspension would expire in August 2026, coinciding with the season climax at the Tour Championship from August 27-30. He’d be eligible for 2027 when the PGA Tour launches its compressed schedule with top-tier limited fields, ideal for Koepka’s comeback. PGA Tour Enterprises investors would welcome another marquee name.
Jon Rahm predicted on the \”Subpar\” podcast that Koepka