First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh eager to compete again, Charley Hull soon launching on YouTube. 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As expected: Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner remains connected to the competing circuit but needs more family time.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 mutually agreed upon, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. However, Koepka is a competitor who thrives on top-level competition, something LIV offered only partially. Koepka initially joined LIV in 2022 mainly due to concerns about his career ending prematurely due to injury, aiming to secure a comfortable retirement fund. Therefore, skipping the last contracted playing season is not surprising, though questions remain about financial arrangements and his ownership status of LIV team Smash GC, now captained by Talor Gooch.
Speculation abounds about where Koepka will next compete. On the DP World Tour, where he would immediately be eligible — possibly with a penalty? Or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension since his last LIV event, now less severe than the former lifetime bans imposed by ex-commissioner Jay Monahan. Why hold grudges when every prominent LIV returnee benefits the dominant Tour? This key question is partly answered. According to ESPN’s Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which was not renewed after 2022, seeking re-entry into the playing field.