First start already at Farmers, Vijay Singh ready for another run, Charley Hull soon on YouTube. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season, which starts February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion will remain connected to the competing circuit but needs more time for his family. The LIV CEO Scott McNeil officially stated this amicable agreement. But Koepka is a competitor who gets motivated and fired up during high-level competition, which was somewhat lacking in LIV. He initially joined LIV in 2022 mainly because of injury concerns and to secure a solid retirement fund. Therefore, skipping the last contracted season is not surprising, although questions remain whether he redeemed himself or returned a portion of the guaranteed money. He remains owner of LIV team Smash GC, now captained by Talor Gooch.
Speculations abound on which fairways Koepka will appear next — the DP World Tour where he could play immediately, possibly with a fine, or the PGA Tour where he faces a one-year suspension following his last LIV event after the lifetime bans imposed by former commissioner Jay Monahan were significantly eased. Why hold grudges when every returning LIV player, especially a prominent one, benefits the Tour that holds the upper hand? The key question seems partly answered. According to ESPN’s Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which was not renewed after 2022, and be reinstated as a member.