First start at the Farmers Insurance Open, Vijay Singh returns to compete, and Charley Hull launches a YouTube channel. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has opted out of the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion will stay connected to the rival circuit but needs more family time. This was amicably agreed upon, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. Koepka is a competitor who thrives on high-level contests, something he found limited in LIV. His 2022 switch to the Saudi-backed tour was mainly because of injuries threatening his career end and to secure a lucrative retirement fund. Hence, skipping his final contracted season is not surprising, though questions linger about contract buyouts and his continued ownership of LIV team Smash GC, with Talor Gooch as captain.
Speculation grows about which fairways Koepka will play on next: the DP World Tour, where he is eligible potentially with a penalty, or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year ban since his last LIV appearance, with lifetime bans previously imposed by Jay Monahan now relaxed. Why be vengeful when every LIV returnee benefits the stronger PGA Tour? ESPN’s Mark Schlabach reported Koepka formally applied to reinstate his PGA Tour membership last Friday.
See this post on Instagram