First start at the Farmers, Vijay Singh returns, and Charley Hull heads to 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As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion will remain connected to the rival circuit but needs more family time. This was reportedly settled amicably, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. Koepka is known as a competitor who thrives in top-level tournaments – a motivation he rarely found in LIV. His 2022 shift to the Saudi-backed tour was mainly due to injury concerns and securing a solid retirement fund. Hence, skipping his last contractual season is unsurprising, though questions remain about buyouts or fees. Koepka, 35, still owns his LIV team Smash GC, now captained by Talor Gooch.
Speculation grows about where Koepka will next tee off. Possibly the DP World Tour, where he could play immediately, likely facing a penalty? Or the PGA Tour, where he must serve a one-year suspension from his last LIV start, following softened lifetime bans previously imposed? Given the PGA Tour’s more lenient stance on returning LIV players, a decisive answer seems near. ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reported Koepka formally applied last Friday to reinstate his formerly non-renewed PGA Tour membership and rejoin the player pool.
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