First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh eager to compete again, Charley Hull soon on 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As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner remains connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for family. LIV CEO Scott McNeil stated this decision was amicably agreed upon. Koepka is known as a competitive athlete who thrives in high-level contests, something that was limited with LIV. He initially joined LIV in 2022 largely due to injury concerns and to secure a solid retirement fund. Thus, skipping the final contractual playing season is not surprising, though questions remain. Did he buy out his contract or repay part of his guaranteed salary? Is he remaining the owner of his LIV team Smash GC, now captained by Talor Gooch?
Speculation is rife regarding which fairways Koepka will grace next. Will it be the DP World Tour, where he would be eligible to play immediately, possibly with a penalty? Or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension from his last LIV appearance, after lifetime bans imposed by former commissioner Jay Monahan were significantly softened? It seems the latter question has partly been answered. According to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which was not extended after 2022, aiming to rejoin the playing field.