First start at the Farmers, Vijay Singh ready for a comeback, Charley Hull launching YouTube channel. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf League season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner will remain connected to the rival circuit but needs more family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 a friendly agreement, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. However, Koepka is known as a competitive type who thrives in top-level competition, which he didn’t fully experience at LIV. His 2022 move to LIV was largely due to injury concerns near career end and securing a retirement fund. Thus, skipping the last contract year is not surprising, though questions remain, such as whether he had to buy out his contract or return part of his guaranteed earnings. He also remains the owner of LIV team Smash GC, with Talor Gooch appointed captain.
Speculation swirls on which fairways Koepka will appear next: the DP World Tour, where he would be immediately eligible, possibly after a penalty, or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension from his last LIV event after former Commissioner Jay Monahan softened lifetime bans. Welcoming LIV returnees benefits the PGA Tour, especially a big name like Koepka. According to ESPN’s Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which was not renewed after 2022.