First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh aiming for a comeback, Charley Hull launching on YouTube soon. 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As expected, Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner remains connected to the rival circuit but needs more family time. This amicable agreement was the official statement from LIV CEO Scott McNeil. However, Koepka is a competitive type who thrives on high-level competition, something he found limited at LIV. He originally joined LIV in 2022 mainly because of injury concerns threatening his career end and to secure a comfortable retirement fund. Therefore, skipping the last contracted season is understandable, though questions remain about buyouts or paying back part of guaranteed earnings. He remains the owner of his LIV team Smash GC, which named Talor Gooch as the new captain.
Speculation grows on which fairways Koepka will appear next: the DP World Tour, where he would be instantly eligible likely with a penalty, or the PGA Tour, where he must serve a one-year suspension since his last LIV event after previous lifetime bans by former Commissioner Jay Monahan were significantly reduced. Why be vindictive when every LIV returnee, especially a star, benefits the already dominant tour? This key question seems partly 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 regain playing privileges.