First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh wants to play 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As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion remains connected to the competing circuit but needs more time for family. This was amicably agreed upon, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. Koepka is a competitive type who gets highly motivated and fired up mainly by high-level competition, something he found limited in the LIV setup. He initially joined LIV in 2022 mainly because he feared his career was ending due to injuries and wanted a solid retirement fund. So, his skipping the last contracted playing season is not surprising, though questions remain about whether he had to buy out or refund a part of his guarantee. He remains the owner of his LIV team Smash GC, which has appointed Talor Gooch as the new captain.
Speculations abound about which fairways Koepka will appear on next. The DP World Tour where he would be immediately eligible—likely against a penalty payment? Or the PGA Tour, where he must serve a one-year ban following his last LIV start, after the lifetime bans imposed by former Commissioner Jay Monahan were significantly softened? Why be vindictive when every prominent LIV returnee benefits the established tour which holds the upper hand? This key question seems partly answered. According to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which was not extended after 2022, to rejoin the playing field.