First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh eager for a comeback, Charley Hull soon on YouTube. The Back Nine.
As expected: Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion remains connected to the competing circuit but needs more time for his family. This was reportedly agreed upon amicably, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil. Koepka is known as a competitive type who gets motivated and fired up mainly by top-level contests, which was limited in LIV. He switched mainly in 2022 because he feared his career was ending due to injuries and wanted a solid retirement fund. Thus, skipping the last contract year is not surprising, although questions remain about financial settlements and ownership status of his LIV team Smash GC, now captained by Talor Gooch.
Speculations abound about which tours Koepka will appear on next: the DP World Tour where he may be able to play immediately, possibly with a penalty, or the PGA Tour where he faces a one-year suspension since his last LIV appearance, though lifetime bans imposed by former commissioner Jay Monahan have been significantly softened. It would be counterproductive to be vindictive as every high-profile LIV returnee benefits the PGA Tour. ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reported that Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which was not extended after 2022, to rejoin the player ranks.