First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh returns, Charley Hull launching on YouTube. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the LIV Golf League for the 2026 season beginning February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner will remain connected to the competing circuit but needs more time for family. That was the friendly agreement, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. However, Koepka is a competitor who is highly motivated by top-level sporting battles and hasn’t truly flourished in LIV. He initially joined LIV in 2022 mainly because of injuries that nearly ended his career and to secure a lucrative retirement fund. His decision to skip the last contract year is therefore not surprising, albeit some questions remain: Did he have to pay a buyout or return part of his guaranteed salary? Will the 35-year-old remain owner of his LIV team Smash GC, which has already appointed Talor Gooch as new captain?
Speculation is rife on which fairways Koepka will appear next. At the DP World Tour, he would be immediately eligible to play—likely with a penalty fee? Or at the PGA Tour, where he must serve a one-year suspension since his last LIV event, after lifetime bans imposed by former Commissioner Jay Monahan were significantly softened? Why be vindictive when every returning LIV player, especially a star like Koepka, plays into the hands of the already dominant Tour? This key question now seems partially answered. According to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which was not renewed after 2022, and to be reinstated as a tour player.