First start at the Farmers Insurance Open, Vijay Singh returns, Charley Hull launches YouTube channel. The Back Nine.
Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion remains connected to LIV but seeks more family time. LIV CEO Scott McNeil confirmed a friendly agreement. Koepka, known as a competitor who thrives on high-level contests, was less motivated in LIV. He originally joined LIV in 2022 due to injury-shortened career concerns and the chance to secure a pension fund. Questions remain about the terms of his exit, including financial matters and his ownership status of LIV team Smash GC, now captained by Talor Gooch.
Speculation abounds about Koepka’s future playing venues—DP World Tour eligibility is immediate, perhaps with penalties, or PGA Tour where he faces a one-year suspension after his last LIV start. However, former Commissioner Jay Monahan’s lifetime bans were softened. ESPN’s Mark Schlabach reports Koepka formally requested to reactivate his PGA Tour membership last Friday.
Update: Koepka is now immediately eligible for the PGA Tour and will compete in the Farmers Insurance Open late January at Torrey Pines and the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale. This follows the new ‘Returning Member Program’ allowing select LIV players to rejoin without suspension, recognizing Koepka’s recent sporting merits, especially his 2023 PGA Championship win. PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp states this is a unique, non-precedential opportunity closing February 2, which may cause concern among other LIV players like Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cam Smith. Koepka will donate $5 million to PGA Tour charity, be excluded from the 2026 FedEx Cup bonus, and be barred from PGA Tour Enterprises’ profit shares for five years.
DeChambeau Confirms LIV Commitment for 2026
Bryson DeChambeau officially confirms he will play the 2026 LIV Golf season, with his Crushers team intact. No long-term contract extension was announced, leaving room for speculation on negotiations behind the scenes post-Koepka’s exit.
Vijay Singh Returns to PGA Tour at 62
Vijay Singh, triple major winner from Fiji, utilizes a career money list exemption to return to PGA Tour play starting this week at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Singh has five titles on the PGA Tour Champions, including the Senior Players Championship.
TGL Ratings Dip Without Tiger Woods
The second season of the Tomorrow’s Golf League saw a decline in TV ratings without Tiger Woods, with 646,000 viewers at the ABC season opener, down from 919,000 on ESPN last season. The league seeks a new star attraction to regain momentum amid social media and technological hype, as Rory McIlroy and others have yet to fill Woods’ void effectively.
Charley Hull Launching YouTube Channel
Following Bryson DeChambeau’s success with over three million subscribers, Charley Hull announced she will start her own YouTube channel called ‘The Sweet