First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh eager to play again, Charley Hull soon launching on YouTube. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner remains connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for family. LIV CEO Scott McNeil stated this was a mutual agreement. Koepka, known as a competitor who thrives on high-level competition, was less motivated in LIV. He joined LIV in 2022 primarily due to injury concerns about his career’s end and to secure a retirement fund. Thus, skipping the final contract year is unsurprising, though questions remain. Did he buy out his contract or refund part of his guaranteed payment? Does the 35-year-old still own his LIV team, Smash GC, which named Talor Gooch the new captain?
Speculation grows about where Koepka will next play. The DP World Tour would grant immediate eligibility, perhaps with a fine, or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension post his last LIV event. This suspension was softened from lifetime bans imposed by former commissioner Jay Monahan. It seems not vindictive to welcome back prominent LIV returnees, benefiting the dominant PGA Tour. This question partly answered: ESPN’s Mark Schlabach reported Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which lapsed after 2022, to rejoin the players’ circle.