First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh is back in action, and Charley Hull is launching on YouTube 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As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season, starting February 7 in Riyadh.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 winner will stay connected to the rival circuit but needs more family time. This was amicably agreed upon, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. Koepka is a competitor who thrives on high-level competition, which he found limited at LIV. In 2022, he joined LIV mainly due to injury concerns about ending his career and to secure a solid retirement fund. Thus, giving up the last contract year is not surprising, though questions remain—did he have to buy out or repay part of his guaranteed money? And does he remain an owner of LIV team Smash GC, which appointed Talor Gooch as the new captain?
Speculation is rife about where Koepka will play next—DP World Tour, where immediate eligibility is likely with possible penalties, or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension from his last LIV appearance, following reductions in lifetime bans announced by former Commissioner Jay Monahan. Returning LIV players, especially high-profile ones, benefit the established tour, so vengeance seems unlikely. ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reported Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership that was not extended after 2022.