First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh ready 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As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner intends to remain affiliated with the competing circuit but needs more time for his family. This reportedly was a mutual agreement, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. Koepka is known as a competitor who thrives on high-level competition, something he found limited in LIV. In 2022, he mainly joined LIV Golf because he feared his career was ending due to injuries and wanted to secure a substantial retirement fund. Thus, his skipping the last contracted season is not surprising, though questions remain whether he had to buy out his contract or refund part of his guaranteed salary. He remains the owner of LIV team Smash GC, which has appointed Talor Gooch as its new captain.
Speculation is rife about where Koepka will compete next. The DP World Tour, where he could play immediately possibly with a penalty, or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension following his last LIV appearance, after former Commissioner Jay Monahan softened lifetime bans. This key question seems partially answered: ESPN’s Mark Schlabach reported that Koepka formally applied last Friday to reinstate his PGA Tour membership, which had lapsed after 2022, aiming to rejoin the playing field.