Bryson DeChambeau confirms LIV start in 2026, Vijay Singh returns at 62, Charley Hull launching YouTube channel. The Back Nine.
Expected? Brooks Koepka has announced he will not participate in the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner remains connected to the competing circuit but needs more family time, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil. Koepka, a fierce competitor motivated by high-level contests, showed limited enthusiasm during his LIV tenure and originally joined the Saudi-backed league in 2022 due to injury concerns and financial considerations. Questions remain whether he had to buy out his contract or refund part of his guaranteed salary and if he remains the owner of the LIV team Smash GC, now captained by Talor Gooch.
Speculation abounds about which fairways Koepka will appear on next—immediately eligible for the DP World Tour, possibly with a penalty, or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension from his last LIV appearance after lifetime bans imposed by former Commissioner Jay Monahan were softened. This critical question seems partly answered. According to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which was not extended after 2022, and to be reinstated as a tour player.
DeChambeau Confirms LIV Start for 2026
Meanwhile, Bryson DeChambeau officially confirmed he will compete in the LIV Golf League in 2026. His team, the Crushers, featuring Charles Howell III, Paul Casey, and Anirban Lahiri, will enter the fifth season unchanged. Interestingly, no general contract extension has been announced by DeChambeau, sparking speculation about behind-the-scenes negotiations aimed at retaining LIV’s current most prominent and marketable player after Koepka’s departure.
Vijay Singh Returns to PGA Tour at 62
In a surprising move, 62-year-old three-time major winner Vijay Singh is returning to the PGA Tour. The Fijian exploits an exemption based on his career earnings ranking and will play this week at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Singh previously competed on the PGA Tour Champions, winning five titles including the Senior Players Championship.
TGL Faces Weak TV Ratings in Season Two
Without Tiger Woods, the Tomorrow’s Golf League struggles to maintain audience interest on TV despite high-tech and social media hype. The opening day of the second season drew only 646,000 viewers on ABC, compared to 919,000 on ESPN’s first season broadcast. The second match, Atlanta vs. The Bay, attracted just 354,000 viewers. The league’s founders—Woods, Rory McIlroy, and partner Mike McCarley—are under pressure to find a new star attraction. Woods remains unmatched, while McIlroy and Tom Kim serve more as supporting characters.
Charley Hull to Launch YouTube Channel
Following the success of Bryson DeChambeau’s YouTube channel with over three million subscribers, English Malbon Ambassador Charley Hull plans to start her own channel this summer.