First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh wants to give it another shot, Charley Hull soon on YouTube. The Back Nine.
As expected: Brooks Koepka has officially opted out of the 2026 season of the LIV Golf League starting on February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion will remain connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for his family. This was amicably agreed upon, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil. But Koepka is a competitor who gets fired up in the heat of high-level competition, which he only experienced to a limited extent at LIV. He initially joined LIV in 2022 mainly because injury had threatened his career’s end and he wanted solid retirement earnings. Given this, skipping the final contracted season isn’t surprising, though questions remain. Did he have to buy out his contract or repay part of his guaranteed salary? Is he still the owner of his LIV team Smash GC, which has already named Talor Gooch as new captain?
Speculation centers on which fairways Koepka will next appear. The DP World Tour would grant him immediate playing rights, possibly with a penalty, or the PGA Tour, where he must serve a one-year suspension since his last LIV event, but lifetime bans by former commissioner Jay Monahan have been greatly reduced. Why be vindictive when every returnee from LIV, especially a high-profile one, benefits the tour that holds most of the leverage? This question seems partly answered. According to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which had not been extended after 2022, and to be reinstated as a player.