First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh eager to compete again, Charley Hull soon launching a YouTube channel. The Back Nine.
Expected: Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner will remain connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for his family. This was amicably agreed upon according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil. Koepka is a competitor who thrives on high-level competition, something he only partially found at LIV. He joined LIV in 2022 primarily because of injury concerns and to secure a substantial retirement fund. So, skipping the final contract year is not surprising, though questions remain whether he had to buy out or pay back part of his guaranteed salary, and if he remains an owner of LIV team Smash GC, which recently named Talor Gooch as captain.
Speculation is rife about where Koepka will play next. 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 appearance, after lifetime bans imposed by former commissioner Jay Monahan were significantly softened? The key question seems partially answered: according to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which lapsed after 2022, to be reinstated as a player.