Bryson DeChambeau confirms LIV start in 2026, Vijay Singh makes a comeback, Charley Hull launching YouTube channel. The Back Nine.
Expected? Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season, which kicks off on February 7 in Riyadh. The five-time major champion intends to remain connected to the competing circuit but needs more time for family. This was amicably agreed upon, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. Koepka is known as a competitor who thrives in high-level competition, which he rather lacked in LIV. In 2022, he mainly joined LIV as he feared his career was ending due to injury and wanted to secure a substantial retirement fund. Thus, skipping the last contractual playing year is unsurprising, although questions remain such as whether he had to buy out or repay part of his guaranteed salary. He remains the owner of his LIV team Smash GC, which has already named Talor Gooch as its new captain.
Speculations abound about which fairways Koepka will appear on next—DP World Tour, where he would be immediately eligible, possibly with a penalty? Or PGA Tour, where he must serve a one-year suspension since his last LIV event after former Commissioner Jay Monahan’s lifetime bans were significantly softened? Why be vindictive when any prominent LIV returnee plays into the hands of the established tour? This key question now seems partially answered. According to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership and be reinstated into the playing circle, after it was not extended following 2022.
An eventual suspension would expire in August, coinciding with the end of the 2026 season at the Tour Championship from August 27 to 30. Koepka would thus be eligible for 2027, when the PGA Tour launches its new compressed schedule featuring nearly two dozen $20 million tournaments with limited, top-tier fields—a perfect timing for his return, aligned with Koepka’s preferences. PGA Tour Enterprises investors would also welcome another big name in the new top league.
\”He may need some time, but I think he will return to the PGA Tour,\” Jon Rahm said recently on the \”Subpar\” podcast. \”He’ll probably at least play the minimum, I’d say, and why not the tournaments he likes, the big ones. If he can then qualify for or participate in high-profile events, he would do those as well.\” Moreover, the five-time major champion might receive leniency in Ponte Vedra Beach, with suspension decisions involving not only the board but also the player directors and the competition committee led by Tiger Woods. Rory McIlroy has recommended reinstating Koepka immediately. A majority of fans seem to agree, as a non-representative poll by \”Bunkered\” found.
DeChambeau Confirms LIV Golf Start for 2026
Meanwhile, Bryson DeChambeau has officially confirmed that he will compete in the LIV Golf League in 2026. His Crushers team, featuring Charles Howell III, Paul Casey, and Anirban Lahiri, will enter the fifth season unchanged. Interestingly, DeChambeau has not announced a general