First start at the Farmers Insurance Open, Vijay Singh returns, and Charley Hull launches a YouTube channel. The Back Nine update.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has opted out of the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion intends to stay connected to the competing circuit but needs more family time. LIV CEO Scott McNeil stated the decision was amicable. However, Koepka is a competitor driven by high-level competition, which he found somewhat limited at LIV. He initially joined LIV in 2022 anticipating an early end to his career due to injury and to secure a substantial retirement fund. His skipping the final contractual season raises questions about potential buyouts or salary repayments. Despite stepping back, Koepka remains owning the LIV team Smash GC, now captained by Talor Gooch.
Speculations rise about which tours Koepka will compete on next — the DP World Tour, where immediate eligibility is likely (possibly with penalties), or the PGA Tour, where a one-year suspension was enforced post his last LIV event, though former lifetime bans have been relaxed. According to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, withdrawn after 2022, seeking reinstatement.
See this post on Instagram