First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh is back in action, Charley Hull soon launching her own YouTube channel. The Back Nine.
As expected: Brooks Koepka has officially opted out of 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 agreed cordially according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. However, Koepka is a competitor who thrives on top-level competition, which he had limited motivation for in LIV. Originally switching to LIV in 2022 due to injury concerns threatening his career and aiming to secure a comfortable retirement fund, his skipping the contractually final season is unsurprising, although questions remain about buyouts or payback of guaranteed salary. At 35, he remains owner of his LIV team Smash GC, which named Talor Gooch the new captain.
Speculation now centers on where Koepka will next compete. On the DP World Tour, where he would be immediately eligible, likely with a penalty? Or back on the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension since his last LIV event, after the lifetime bans from former commissioner Jay Monahan were significantly softened? There is little incentive for grudges when every LIV returnee benefits the well-established Tour. ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reported Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which was not renewed after 2022, to rejoin the player ranks.