First start already at Farmers, Vijay Singh eager for a comeback, 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As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner remains connected to the rival circuit but needs more family time. This was a friendly agreement, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. Koepka is known as a competitor who thrives in top-level contests, something he experienced only partially at LIV. He joined LIV in 2022 primarily because of injury concerns and to secure a solid retirement financial base. His opting out of the last contracted season raises questions: Did he have to buy out his contract or return part of his guaranteed money? Is he still the owner of his LIV team Smash GC, which named Talor Gooch as its new captain?
Speculations focus on where Koepka will appear next. Will it be the DP World Tour, where he would be immediately eligible, likely with a penalty? Or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension since his last LIV event, although former commissioner Jay Monahan’s lifetime bans have been significantly softened? After all, a returnee like Koepka benefits the PGA Tour, which holds the upper hand. According to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which was not renewed after 2022, to rejoin the players’ circle.