First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh aims for a comeback, and Charley Hull is launching a YouTube channel. 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As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner will remain connected to the rival circuit but needs more family time. This was reportedly agreed upon amicably, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. Koepka is a competitor motivated by high-level challenges, which LIV did not fully provide. Having joined LIV in 2022 mainly due to injury concerns and to secure a solid retirement fund, Koepka’s choice to skip his final contract year is unsurprising, although questions remain about contract buyouts and his role as owner of LIV’s Smash GC team, now captained by Talor Gooch.
Speculation centers on where Koepka will compete next – the DP World Tour, where eligibility would be immediate, possibly with a penalty; or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension stemming from his last LIV appearance after prior lifetime bans were softened. Why be vindictive when a prominent LIV returnee benefits the PGA Tour with leverage? ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reports Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership for 2023 onward.