First start at the Farmers, Vijay Singh is ready to compete again, and Charley Hull is launching her own YouTube channel soon. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season, which starts on February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner remains connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for family. This was reportedly a friendly agreement, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil. Koepka is known as a fierce competitor who thrives on high-level contests, something that was somewhat lacking at LIV. He originally joined LIV in 2022 mainly because injuries threatened to end his career and for securing substantial retirement earnings. His skipping the last contracted LIV season is therefore not surprising, though questions remain about whether he had to buy out or repay a guarantee. He still owns his LIV team Smash GC, which appointed Talor Gooch as the new captain.
Speculation abounds over which fairways Koepka will appear on next—DP World Tour, where he would be immediately eligible (possibly with a penalty), or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension since his last LIV appearance, after previous lifetime bans were significantly softened. Why be vengeful when every high-profile LIV returnee benefits the established PGA Tour? This key question seems partly answered. ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reports Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which lapsed after 2022, and to be reinstated as a playing member.