First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh also aims for a comeback, Charley Hull launching a YouTube channel soon. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner will remain connected to the rival circuit but needs more family time. This was reportedly amicably agreed upon, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. Koepka is known as a competitor who thrives on high-level competition, something he found limited in LIV. He joined LIV in 2022 mainly for financial security due to injury concerns, so skipping the final contracted season is unsurprising, although questions remain about any buyout or repaying of guarantees. Koepka remains owner of the LIV team Smash GC, which recently appointed Talor Gooch as captain.
Speculation intensifies about which fairways Koepka will appear on next—DP World Tour where he is immediately eligible, possibly with a penalty, or PGA Tour where he faces a one-year suspension from his last LIV appearance, following a significant reduction of the former lifetime bans imposed by commissioner Jay Monahan. Why be vindictive when every LIV returnee strengthens the already dominant PGA Tour? This key question partly answered: according to ESPN’s Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership and rejoin the playing field after departing post-2022.