Bryson DeChambeau confirms LIV Golf 2026 start, Vijay Singh returns to PGA, Charley Hull launching YouTube channel. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season which begins February 7 in Riyadh. The five-time major champion intends to remain connected to the rival circuit but needs more family time, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. However, Koepka is a competitor who thrives on top-level contests, which LIV has provided only limited motivation. He originally joined LIV in 2022 partly due to injury-plagued career concerns and to secure significant retirement earnings. Questions remain whether he had to buy out his contract or return part of his guaranteed salary. Despite stepping away, he remains the owner of LIV team Smash GC, now captained by Talor Gooch.
Speculation is rife about where Koepka will appear next—whether on the DP World Tour, where he could play immediately perhaps with a penalty, or on the PGA Tour, where he’d face a one-year suspension since his last LIV event after lifetime bans were softened. The critical question seems partly answered: according to ESPN’s Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership not extended after 2022 and to be readmitted as a member.
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