First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh returns, Charley Hull to launch YouTube channel soon. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the LIV Golf League for the 2026 season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner will remain connected to the competing circuit but needs more time for family. This was reportedly mutually agreed upon, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. Koepka is known as a competitor who gets motivated and fired up only in high-level competition, which he found limited in LIV. In 2022, he mostly joined LIV due to injury concerns about his career end and to secure a sizeable retirement fund. Thus, his skipping the final contracted season is not surprising, although questions remain about possible buyouts or repayments. He also remains owner of the LIV team Smash GC, which recently appointed Talor Gooch as captain.
Speculation abounds about where Koepka will play next—immediately eligible on the DP World Tour, perhaps with a penalty, or on the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension since his last LIV appearance, reduced from a previous lifetime ban. Why hold grudges when notable LIV returnees play into the hands of the more powerful PGA Tour? This key question seems partially answered. ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reported Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which had not been renewed after 2022.