First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh also making a comeback, Charley Hull soon on YouTube. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf League season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion will remain connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for his family. This is according to an official statement from LIV CEO Scott McNeil. Koepka is a competitive type who gets highly motivated and fired up only in high-level competition, which he experienced only partially at LIV. He switched in 2022 mainly to secure a solid retirement fund as his career had been jeopardized by injuries. Given this, his skipping the last contractually fixed season is not surprising, though questions remain, such as if he had to buy out or return part of his guaranteed salary. Is he still the owner of his LIV team Smash GC, which has appointed Talor Gooch as captain?
Speculations abound about which fairways Koepka will appear on next: the DP World Tour where he would be immediately eligible—possibly for a penalty fee—or the PGA Tour, where he would have to serve a one-year suspension following his last LIV event, after former commissioner Jay Monahan softened lifetime bans. Why be vindictive when every LIV returnee, especially a prominent one, strengthens the rival tour that already has the upper hand? This crucial question seems partially answered. According to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which was not extended after 2022, aiming to rejoin the playing pool.