First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh returns on PGA Tour, Charley Hull launching YouTube channel soon. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the LIV Golf League’s 2026 season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion remains connected with the rival circuit but needs more family time. This ‘amicable agreement’ was the official statement from LIV CEO Scott McNeil. However, Koepka is a competitor who thrives on top-level competition, which he found limited at LIV. In 2022, he primarily joined LIV due to injury concerns about his career’s end and to secure a solid retirement fund. Thus, skipping his final contractual season is not surprising, though questions remain about whether he had to buy out or return part of his guaranteed salary. He still owns his LIV team, Smash GC, which named Talor Gooch as the new captain.
Speculation is rife regarding where Koepka will play next—on the DP World Tour, where he might be immediately eligible, possibly with a penalty? Or back on the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension since his last LIV appearance after previous lifetime bans from former commissioner Jay Monahan were eased? Why seek retribution when every LIV returnee plays into the hands of the long-dominant PGA Tour? This key question seems partially answered. According to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which was not renewed after 2022, to rejoin its player pool.