First start already at Farmers, Vijay Singh back on PGA Tour, Charley Hull launches YouTube channel. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major champion will stay connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for his family. This was reportedly a mutual agreement, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil. Koepka is known as a competitor who gets motivated and fired up only during top-level sports battles, something that LIV did not fully provide. He largely joined LIV in 2022 because of injuries threatening his career’s end and to secure a substantial retirement fund. Thus, giving up the final contractual season is unsurprising, though questions remain: Did he have to buy out or refund part of his guaranteed salary? Does the 35-year-old remain the owner of his LIV team Smash GC, which has named Talor Gooch as its new captain?
Speculation abounds regarding which fairways Koepka will soon appear on. With immediate eligibility on the DP World Tour—possibly subject to a penalty?—or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension from his last LIV participation after life bans imposed by former Commissioner Jay Monahan were significantly eased? Why be vengeful, when every LIV returnee, especially a prominent one, benefits the already dominant PGA Tour? This key question seems partially answered. If ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach is correct, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which was not extended after 2022, to rejoin the playing field.