First start already at the Farmers; Vijay Singh is back too, Charley Hull soon on YouTube. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion will stay connected to the competing circuit but needs more time for family. This amicable agreement was officially announced by LIV CEO Scott McNeil. Koepka is a competitive type who thrives on high-level contests, which he found limited in LIV. In 2022, he joined LIV mainly because he feared his career was ending due to injuries and wanted to secure a comfortable retirement fund. His opting out of the last contractual playing year is therefore not surprising, though questions remain. Did he buy out his contract or repay part of the guarantee? Does he remain owner of his LIV team Smash GC, which recently named Talor Gooch as captain?
Speculation brews on where Koepka will play next: the DP World Tour, where he could be immediately eligible perhaps after paying a penalty? Or the PGA Tour, where he would serve a one-year suspension since his last LIV event after previous lifetime bans by former Commissioner Jay Monahan were softened? Why be vindictive when every returning LIV player, especially a prominent one, benefits the already dominant Tour? This key question seems partly answered. According to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally requested last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which was not extended after 2022, and to be reinstated as a player.