Bryson DeChambeau confirms LIV Golf start in 2026, Vijay Singh is aiming for a comeback, and Charley Hull is launching a YouTube channel 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As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion will remain connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for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 a competitor who gets highly motivated and fired up during top-level competition, something he experienced only to a limited extent at LIV. Primarily, in 2022 he joined LIV as he feared his career might end prematurely due to injuries and sought a solid retirement fund. Thus, skipping the final contracted playing season is not surprising, though questions remain. Did he have to buy out his contract or repay part of his guaranteed earnings? Does the 35-year-old remain the owner of his LIV team Smash GC, which has already appointed Talor Gooch as new captain?
Speculation abounds about where Koepka will next appear on tour. Will it be the DP World Tour, which he could join immediately, perhaps with a penalty? Or the PGA Tour, where he would face a one-year suspension since his last LIV event after previously imposed lifetime bans by former Commissioner Jay Monahan were significantly softened? Why hold grudges if a returning LIV player, especially a prominent one, benefits the already dominant tour? This key question seems partially answered. ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reported Koepka officially applied last Friday to reinstate his PGA Tour membership, which was not renewed after 2022, to rejoin the player pool.
An eventual suspension would end in August, the same month as the 2026 season concludes with the Tour Championship from August 27–30. Koepka would then be eligible for 2027, when the PGA Tour plans to introduce a new schedule concentrating nearly two dozen $20 million events, featuring limited and top-ranked fields. This timing suits Koepka perfectly. Additionally, PGA Tour Enterprises investors, likely behind the new top league, would welcome another strong name.
\”He may need some time, but I believe he’ll return to the PGA Tour,\” Jon Rahm recently said in the \”Subpar\” podcast. \”He’ll probably at least play the minimum, I think, and why not the tournaments he likes, the big ones. If he qualifies or can participate in high-profile events, he would play those too.\” Perhaps the PGA Tour will be lenient toward a five-time major winner in Ponte Vedra Beach – alongside the board, the player directors and the Tiger Woods-led competition committee have a say on suspensions, with Rory McIlroy recommending Koepka be allowed to play again. This view is shared by a fan majority according to an informal \”Bunkered\” magazine survey.
DeChambeau Confirms LIV Start for 2026
Bryson DeChambeau officially confirmed he will compete in the 2026 LIV Golf League. His Crushers team, including Charles Howell III, Paul Casey, and Anirban Lahiri, will enter their fifth season unchanged. Interestingly