First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh eager to compete again, Charley Hull soon on YouTube. 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As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner will remain connected to the competing circuit but needs more time for family. This was reportedly amicably agreed upon according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. Koepka is a competitive nature who thrives in top-level contests, which he lacked at LIV. He switched in 2022 mainly due to injury concerns about the end of his career and to secure a good retirement fund. The waiver of his last contractual season is therefore not surprising, though questions linger, such as whether he had to buy out or repay part of his guaranteed fee and if he remains owner of his LIV team Smash GC, which has named Talor Gooch as its new captain.
Speculation abounds over where Koepka will next play. On the DP World Tour, where he would be eligible immediately — possibly with a penalty? Or on the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension after his last LIV appearance, although the previously lifetime bans by Commissioner Jay Monahan have been greatly softened? Why hold grudges when any returning LIV player, especially a prominent one, benefits the longer-established Tour? This crucial question seems partly answered. According to ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which had not been extended after 2022, aiming to rejoin the playing ranks.