First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh eager to compete again, Charley Hull launching on YouTube 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As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner remains connected to the competing circuit but needs more time for his family. This was amicably agreed upon, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil. Koepka is a competitive type who gets highly motivated and fired up only during top-level competition, which LIV provided only moderately. He joined LIV in 2022 mainly because of injury concerns that seemed to threaten his career’s end, aiming to secure a solid retirement fund. So skipping the final contracted season is not surprising, though questions remain: Did he have to buy himself out or repay part of his guaranteed salary? Does the 35-year-old remain owner of his LIV team Smash GC, which has already appointed Talor Gooch as captain?
Speculation is growing about which fairways Koepka will next appear on. The DP World Tour would grant him immediate playing rights—likely with a penalty? Or the PGA Tour, where he must serve a one-year suspension since his last LIV event, after prior lifetime bans by former commissioner Jay Monahan were significantly eased? Why be vindictive if every LIV returnee, especially a prominent one, plays into the hands of the more powerful tour? This key question seems partially answered. According to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which was not renewed after 2022, and to be readmitted as a player.