First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh wants to compete again, Charley Hull soon on YouTube. 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 winner remains connected to the rival circuit but needs more time for his family. This was amicably agreed upon, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil. Koepka is a competitor who gets highly motivated and fired up only by top-level competition, which he found limited in LIV. He switched to LIV in 2022 mainly because injuries made him doubt the continuation of his career, aiming to secure a good retirement fund. Thus, skipping the final contractual season is not surprising, though questions remain about possible buyouts and guarantees repayment. He remains the owner of LIV team Smash GC, which already named Talor Gooch as the new captain.
Speculation is rife about where Koepka will next tee off — the DP World Tour, where he would be immediately eligible, possibly with a penalty? Or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension following his last LIV event, after former commissioner Jay Monahan’s lifetime bans were softened? It makes no sense to hold grudges when every returning LIV player, especially a prominent one, benefits the PGA Tour with its longer leverage. According to ESPN’s Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his 2022-expired PGA Tour membership and be reinstated into the player pool.