First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh wants to try again, 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As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner will stay connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for his family. This was amicably agreed upon, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. Koepka is a competitor who gets highly motivated and fired up during top-level competition, which he felt only to a limited degree at LIV. He switched mainly in 2022 due to injury concerns and to secure a solid retirement fund. Thus, his skipping of the final contractual season is not surprising, though questions remain. Did he have to buy out, repay part of his guaranteed salary? Does the 35-year-old remain an owner of his LIV team Smash GC, which has appointed Talor Gooch as the new captain?
Speculation abounds about which fairways Koepka will appear on next. The DP World Tour would allow immediate eligibility – probably with a penalty fee? Or the PGA Tour, where he would serve a one-year suspension since his last LIV appearance after lifetime bans by former Commissioner Jay Monahan were softened. Why be vindictive when any LIV returnee, especially a prominent one, plays into the hands of the tour that now wields more power? That question seems partly answered. According to ESPN’s Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which was not extended after 2022, to rejoin the player ranks.