Brooks Koepka to tee off at Farmers soon, Vijay Singh returns at 62, Charley Hull launches 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As expected, Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh; the five-time major winner will stay connected to the rival circuit but needs more family time. This was reportedly agreed upon amicably, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil. However, Koepka, a competitive type who thrives on top-level contests, had limited motivation on LIV. He joined LIV in 2022 largely due to injury concerns and to secure a retirement fund, so skipping the last contracted season is not surprising, though questions remain whether he had to buy out of his contract or return part of his guaranteed money. Also, he remains an owner of LIV’s Smash GC team, with Talor Gooch as the new captain.
Speculation grows regarding which fairways Koepka will next appear on. He would be immediately eligible for the DP World Tour – possibly with a penalty – or the PGA Tour, where he must serve a one-year suspension after his last LIV appearance, following a significant softening of the lifetime bans imposed by former commissioner Jay Monahan. Why be vindictive when every LIV returnee benefits the already dominant PGA Tour? This key question seems partly answered. According to ESPN’s Mark Schlabach, Koepka formally applied last Friday to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which was not renewed after 2022, and be reinstated as a member.