First start already at the Farmers, Vijay Singh is back, and Charley Hull will soon launch her YouTube channel. The Back Nine.
As expected, Brooks Koepka has officially withdrawn from the 2026 LIV Golf season starting February 7 in Riyadh.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 his family, according to LIV CEO Scott McNeil’s official statement. Koepka is known as a driven competitor who thrives in top-level competition, something he rarely found with LIV. He joined LIV in 2022 primarily due to injury concerns threatening his career end and to secure a solid retirement fund. Therefore, skipping the final contractual season is not surprising, yet questions remain about possible buyouts or repaying guarantees. Koepka remains the owner of LIV team Smash GC, which appointed Talor Gooch as the new captain.
Speculations abound on which tour Koepka will appear next. He would be immediately eligible for the DP World Tour, possibly with a penalty, or the PGA Tour, where he faces a one-year suspension stemming from his last LIV event after previous lifetime bans were softened. Returning to the PGA Tour benefits the tour immensely especially for high-profile LIV returns. ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach reported Koepka formally applied last Friday to reinstate his PGA Tour membership, which had not been extended after 2022.