First start at Farmers, Vijay Singh returns, Charley Hull announces YouTube channel. The latest from professional golf’s Back Nine.
Unsurprisingly, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh. The five-time major winner will stay connected to the competing circuit but needs more time for family, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. Koepka, known as a competitive type who thrives in high-level competition, was less motivated at LIV. His 2022 move to LIV was mainly due to injury concerns and securing significant retirement funds. Questions remain about possible buyouts or partial refunding of guaranteed pay. He remains owner of LIV team Smash GC, now captained by Talor Gooch.
Speculation abounds about where Koepka will play next: the DP World Tour, where immediate eligibility may require a penalty, or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension since joining LIV, despite a softened lifetime ban by former Commissioner Jay Monahan. Recently, ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reported Koepka formally applied to reactivate his PGA Tour membership for 2023, seeking reinstatement.
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