First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh aiming for a comeback, Charley Hull soon launching 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 family time. This was reportedly mutually agreed upon, according to an official statement by LIV CEO Scott McNeil. Koepka is known as a competitor who thrives under top-level competition, something he rarely found with LIV. He joined LIV in 2022 primarily because injuries made him consider ending his career and he wanted a comfortable retirement fund. Thus, skipping the final contractual season is not surprising, though questions remain, such as whether he had to buy out or repay part of his guaranteed earnings. Does he remain owner of his LIV team Smash GC, which has already named Talor Gooch as captain?
Speculation is rampant about which fairways Koepka will play next—on the DP World Tour where he would immediately be eligible, possibly with a penalty, or on the PGA Tour, where he must serve a one-year suspension after his last LIV appearance, following the significant softening of lifetime bans imposed by former commissioner Jay Monahan. Why be vindictive when every returning LIV player, especially a prominent one, benefits the long-dominant tour? This crucial question seems partly answered: ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reported that last Friday Koepka formally applied to reactivate his PGA Tour membership, which had not been renewed after 2022, and rejoin the players’ ranks.