First start already at Farmers, Vijay Singh returns, Charley Hull soon on YouTube. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has officially opted out of the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner remains connected to the competing circuit but needs more time for family. This amicable agreement was stated by LIV CEO Scott McNeil. Koepka is known as a competitor who thrives on high-level competition, something he rarely found in LIV. He initially joined LIV in 2022 mainly because of injury doubts regarding his career and to secure a substantial retirement fund. So his decision to skip the contractually final season is understandable, although questions remain whether he had to buy out the contract or return part of the guaranteed money. He still owns his LIV team Smash GC, which named Talor Gooch as the new captain.
Speculation swirls about which tour Koepka will compete on next. He is immediately eligible to play on the DP World Tour, likely with a penalty, or return to the PGA Tour where a one-year suspension since his last LIV event applies, following the significant reduction of lifetime bans by former commissioner Jay Monahan. Why hold grudges when every returning LIV player, especially a star like Koepka, benefits the established tour with the longer leverage. This key question seems partly answered now. According to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which lapsed after 2022, to rejoin the playing field.