First start at Farmers, Vijay Singh returns, Charley Hull launching YouTube channel. 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As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner remains connected to the rival circuit but needs more family time.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 reportedly a friendly agreement, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. However, Koepka is known as a competitor highly motivated by elite competition, something LIV did not fully offer him. He joined LIV in 2022 mainly due to injuries nearing the end of his career and the opportunity to secure a good retirement fund. Skipping his last contracted season isn’t surprising, though questions remain about buyout conditions and whether he retains ownership of his LIV team Smash GC, which recently appointed Talor Gooch as captain.
Speculation grows about where Koepka will compete next. Will it be the DP World Tour, where he could play immediately possibly facing a penalty? Or the PGA Tour, where he must serve a one-year suspension since his last LIV appearance, following the significant easing of previously imposed lifetime bans by former Commissioner Jay Monahan? Such bans being softened benefits the PGA Tour, as returning LIV players strengthen its competitiveness. ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reports Koepka has formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which wasn’t renewed after 2022.
See this post