First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh ready for a comeback, Charley Hull to launch YouTube channel soon. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has opted out of the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner will remain affiliated with the competing circuit but needs more time for family. This was mutually agreed upon, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. Koepka is a competitor who thrives in high-level competition, something he lacked at LIV. He joined LIV in 2022 primarily due to injury concerns threatening his career and the opportunity to secure a substantial retirement fund. Thus, skipping the final contracted season is not surprising, though questions remain about any buyout or repayment of guaranteed money. It is unclear if he still owns his LIV team Smash GC, which recently appointed Talor Gooch as captain.
Speculations abound about which tour Koepka will join next. The DP World Tour, where he would be immediately eligible, possibly for a penalty fee, or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension following his last LIV appearance, after previously imposed lifetime bans were significantly reduced. Why be vindictive when every returning LIV player, especially a high-profile one, benefits the more dominant PGA Tour? This question seems partially answered: ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reported that Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, discontinued after 2022, to rejoin the players’ ranks.