First start already at the Farmers Insurance Open, Vijay Singh returns, Charley Hull to launch YouTube channel soon. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the LIV Golf League 2026 season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner remains connected to the competing circuit but needs more time for family. LIV CEO Scott McNeil gave a friendly official statement about this. Koepka is a competitive type motivated by the highest level competition, which he felt less at LIV. He had joined LIV in 2022 mainly due to injury concerns and to secure a good retirement fund, so skipping the last contracted year is not surprising, though questions remain about whether he had to buy out or repay part of his guaranteed salary. He remains owner of LIV team Smash GC, which named Talor Gooch the new captain.
Speculation rises on which fairways Koepka will appear next: DP World Tour, where he would be immediately eligible, possibly with a penalty? Or the PGA Tour, where he serves a one-year suspension from his last LIV appearance, after previous lifetime bans were softened? Why be vindictive when every returning LIV player strengthens the long-dominant Tour? According to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which had not been renewed after 2022.
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