First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh back in action, 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As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner will stay connected to the competing circuit but needs more time for family. This was reportedly agreed upon amicably, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. Koepka is a competitor who thrives on high-level competition, something he hardly found in LIV. He switched to LIV in 2022 primarily due to injury concerns about his career ending and to secure a good retirement fund. Thus, his skipping the last contractual season is not surprising, though questions remain whether he had to buy out of the contract or repay part of his guaranteed salary. At 35, he remains the owner of LIV team Smash GC, which has appointed Talor Gooch as the new captain.
Speculation abounds about which fairways Koepka will appear on next: the DP World Tour, where he would be immediately eligible, probably with a penalty? Or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension since his last LIV appearance after former Commissioner Jay Monahan softened lifetime bans? Why be vindictive when every LIV returnee, especially a prominent one, benefits the longer-established tour? This question seems partly answered. According to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership and rejoin the players’ roster after not extending it beyond 2022.
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