Bryson DeChambeau confirms LIV 2026 start, Vijay Singh returns at 62, Charley Hull to launch YouTube channel. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting on February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion remains connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for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 top-level sporting battles, something he only somewhat found in LIV. He joined LIV in 2022 primarily because he thought his career was ending due to injuries and wanted to secure a solid retirement fund. Hence, skipping the last contractually obligated season is unsurprising, although questions remain. Did he have to buy out his contract or pay back part of his guaranteed salary? Does the 35-year-old remain an owner of LIV team Smash GC, which has already named Talor Gooch the new captain?
Speculation is rife about where Koepka will next tee off. On the DP World Tour, where he would be immediately eligible — possibly with a penalty? Or on the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension following his last LIV participation, a ban that was considerably softened from the lifetime suspensions once imposed by former Commissioner Jay Monahan? Why be vindictive when every high-profile LIV returnee benefits the longer-established tours? 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, and to be reinstated into the players’ circle.
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 then be eligible to play in 2027, when the PGA Tour rolls out its new schedule featuring nearly two dozen $20 million events and highly selective fields — the perfect timing for a comeback, exactly to Koepka’s liking. Investors in PGA Tour Enterprises, likely the organizers of this new top league, would surely welcome another marquee name.
“He may need some time, but I think he’ll return to the PGA Tour,” Jon Rahm recently said on the \”Subpar\” podcast. “He will probably play at least the minimum, and why not play the events he likes, the big ones. If he qualifies or gets invites to high-profile tournaments, he would play those as well.” In Ponte Vedra Beach, some may even overlook the suspension for a five-time major champion. The decision involves not only the board but also the player directors and the competition committee led by Tiger Woods, following Rory McIlroy’s recommendation to allow Koepka to play immediately. Surveys indicate that a majority of fans agree, according to a non-representative poll by \”Bunkered\” magazine.
DeChambeau Confirms LIV Start for 2026
Bryson DeChambeau has officially confirmed his participation in the 2026 LIV Golf League. His Crushers team comprising Charles Howell III, Paul Casey, and Anirban Lahiri will enter