First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh returns, Charley Hull set for 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As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion will stay connected to the rival circuit but needs more family time, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. Koepka, a competitor who thrives on top-level challenges, found limited motivation at LIV and had switched in 2022 mainly due to injury concerns and to secure retirement funds. Questions remain if he had to buy out his contract or reimburse part of his guaranteed salary. He remains owner of LIV team Smash GC, with Talor Gooch as captain.
Speculation arises about which tour Koepka will play on next: the DP World Tour, where he could be eligible immediately (likely after a penalty), or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension after his last LIV event, with lifetime bans softened. ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reports Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership and rejoin the player pool.
Update: Koepka is now immediately eligible for the PGA Tour and will play the Farmers Insurance Open late January at Torrey Pines, confirmed also for the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale. This was enabled by the recently introduced \”Returning Member Program,\” allowing select LIV players to rejoin the PGA Tour without suspension, considering Koepka’s 2023 PGA Championship win among other merits. The PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp stated this is a one-time opportunity ending February 2, with no guarantee of future availability, signaling significant implications for players like Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cam Smith, and tensions with LIV Golf.
Koepka’s penalties include a $5 million charity donation, exclusion from the 2026 FedEx Cup bonus and a five-year ban from the PGA Tour Enterprises capital-sharing program.
DeChambeau Confirms LIV Start for 2026
Bryson DeChambeau officially confirmed he will compete in the 2026 LIV Golf season with his Crushers team featuring Charles Howell III, Paul Casey, and Anirban Lahiri. No general contract extension has been announced, fueling speculation on behind-the-scenes negotiations to retain LIV’s most marketable player following Koepka.
Vijay Singh Returns to PGA Tour at 62
In a surprising move, three-time major winner Vijay Singh from Fiji returns to the PGA Tour using his career earnings exemption and starts this week at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Singh has five titles on the PGA Tour Champions, including the Senior Players Championship.
TGL Struggles TV Ratings in Season Two
Without Tiger Woods, the Tomorrow’s Golf League has weak TV ratings. The Season Two opening on ABC drew 646,000 viewers versus 919,000 via ESPN in the previous season’s debut. The second match drew only 354,000 viewers. Woods, Rory McIlroy, and partner Mike McCarley must find new star power to boost excitement, as McIlroy and other players fail to replicate Tiger’s draw