Bryson DeChambeau confirms LIV Golf start for 2026, Vijay Singh is back for more at 62, and Charley Hull is soon launching her own YouTube channel. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the LIV Golf League season in 2026, which begins on February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion stays connected with the rival circuit but needs more family time. LIV CEO Scott McNeil officially stated this was agreed amicably. Koepka is a competitive type who thrives on top-level competitions and gets fired up, which he has only partly experienced with LIV. He moved in 2022 mainly because of injury concerns and to secure a strong retirement fund. Thus, skipping the final contractual season is not surprising, though questions remain. Did he buy out his contract or return part of the guaranteed money? Is he still the owner of his LIV team Smash GC, which has appointed Talor Gooch as the new captain?
Speculation is rife about where Koepka will next appear. The DP World Tour would immediately allow him to play, likely with a penalty, or the PGA Tour, where he must serve a one-year suspension since his last LIV appearance, after former commissioner Jay Monahan’s lifetime bans were significantly softened. Why be vindictive when every returning LIV player, especially a star like Koepka, benefits the longer-established tour. This key question seems partly answered now. ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reported that last Friday Koepka formally applied to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which lapsed after 2022, and to be reinstated into the player pool.
A possible suspension would end in August. Although the 2026 season concludes with the Tour Championship from August 27 to 30, Koepka would be eligible to play in 2027 under the PGA Tour’s new schedule of about two dozen $20 million tournaments with best-field lineups. This timing fits Koepka’s preferences perfectly. PGA Tour Enterprises investors, who would likely run this top league, would welcome another high-profile name.
\”He may need some time, but I think he will return to the PGA Tour,\” said Jon Rahm recently in the ‘Subpar’ podcast. \”He’ll probably play at least the minimum, maybe the big tournaments he likes. If he qualifies or is invited to top events, he’ll play those too.\” Perhaps, the PGA Tour may show leniency for a five-time major winner, as the committee led by Tiger Woods and player directors decide. Rory McIlroy also recommended allowing Koepka back immediately. A majority of fans seem to agree, as a non-representative poll by Bunkered magazine showed.
DeChambeau Confirms LIV Start for 2026
Bryson DeChambeau has officially confirmed his participation in the LIV Golf League in 2026. His Crushers team with Charles Howell III, Paul Casey, and Anirban Lahiri will enter the fifth season unchanged. Interestingly, DeChambeau has not announced a general contract extension. There is speculation about backstage agreements to avoid losing LIV’s most marketable active player after Koepka. More details to come.