In this week’s season-opening edition, the guys break down the biggest stories of the early part of the year, with Brooks Koepka leaving LIV and the Tour potentially saying goodbye to Hawaii, as well as preview the hot topics and players.
Chapters:
0:00: Hello and welcome, 2026!
2:00: What’s Brooks Koepka’s next move after leaving LIV?
12:00: Why LIV keeps striking out on big signings
18:00: Missing Kapalua … and looking ahead to the future
25:00: Major we’re most looking forward to
30:00: Best non-major to watch
36:00: Biggest headline of 2026 will be …
41:00: Biggest question mark this year
48:30: Top breakout candidate
51:00: We got some big plans for this pod!
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2026 season preview: Koepka’s next move and burning Tour questions | Golf Channel
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I don’t mind Liv, but if I’m Rolap, I say “Brooks plus the first 5 former members to comeback get full privileges reinstated, anyone after that serves a year suspension” in order to heap pressure on the LIV guys.
Idk, I really didn't watch much golf over the last 15 years or so, so I missed the drama when it blew up, so I don't have the hurt feelings that maybe some other have, but I think if the PGA tour wants to put a dagger into LIV, they should make it EASY for guys to come back. I'd imagine a year off of golf is probably a deal breaker for a lot of guys, but if they could come back without a suspension, it makes unification (via LIV going defunct) happen much more quickly. Ok yeah you guys do get into this, if Bryan being in a similar state of me, feels a similar way as I do, this could happen quickly.
Brooks helped Chase's career, and that's admirable.
Phil Mickelson has the course record of 59 at Poipu Bay Golf Course in Hawaii
It feels like the superstars want to go to course they can dominate. A lot of them wont say it but they hate Kapaula cause that is a birdie making feast. I remember Jon Rahms famous temper tantrum after -33 didnt win it. There was a Golf Digest article that say that course was given back to the members on November 10th, they could have it if they wanted to. The superstars want courses that are easy to their game not exposure weaknesses. Brooks only left mainly I feel to give Chase playing options. Brooks didnt burn that bridges. However there are golf channel personalities like Brandel Chamblee who want him to burn in hell basically for running away.
Did you just pretend to wonder if LIV wants Bryson still? 🙄🙄 Next pod
Don't care what anyone says, team-related events in individual sports make them seem so amateur.
Who cares about the money they make at LIV?? It's so non-traditional for a game that is sooo traditional.
LIV is like TGL🎙🎙🎙
These two just don't have a great chemistry…Need to watch Tony and Wilbon on PTI.
Tour champion field, similar to the Masters…winners of the weekly tournaments and a few others (The Open for example) and Top 50.
Before making a LIV decision id be amazed if his management had not spoken to PGA and had idea about path back. Leading players eg Rory would also know
Koepka made his bed, should play DP 2026, return PGA 2027. Not like Koepka cared about PGA tour when he played it.
LIV loses $500 million a year.
Rory is all product, not care about rank and file PGA tour player, latter will continue to be screwed by new schedule.
Rory won't win on PGA tour 2026. Tommy won't win major. Scottie miss out on US Open this year, golfing gods are cruel.
Peter Finch rocks! Replace PGA tour with Peter Finch!
Great to have Rex and Lav back.
PGAT should reward Brook in the tune of $500 million for coming back.
Is product now the standard we set for our moral obligation to the game? Stop blathering and impose a fine, time frame, etc to allow all Liv idiots back.
No special exemptions for squat…😮
If it's a 1 year suspension, then the 1 year suspension starts from his last LIV event in August of 2025. So his tentative PGA TOUR starting date would be 08/2026. He can play in the DP and majors up until then. Easy fix.
Is there any chance that you can get Rex's camera in focus?
Media's making way more of this move than is deserving of a golfer who's on the back nine of his career and isn't the same same guy who dominated the majors from 2016 – 2019. Brooks will be just "another guy" when he returns to the PGAT and will struggle to crack the Top 60 to qualify for the Signature Events.
Koepka hasnt played well at LIV in recent times, didnt buy into the concept, took the money because he thought his career was over due to injury. When the injury improved, he made negative noises about LIV. I watch LIV as because of your company PGAT is an ad fest, coverage is dreadful. I watch LIV ad free and its great, i think LIV is building a new business model post Greg Norman going, its building it Asia, Australasia, African and European profile, it will offer lip service to the US. If the PGAT accepts Koepka, then some tour members will be upset, as that reduces their opportunities, this might mean that new players join LIV. LIV’s shotgun start restricts the field to max 22 x 4 balls, still significantly larger than it is now. Bigger news for LIV is Anthony Kim qualifying for this years tour, far bigger story than Koepka leaving
Love what Lav is saying start with a big bang. Guys have not been playing for a long time we are starving for great golf. Like tennis is so great to see a major in jan feb what a great start for the year. When we have all big golfing event bunch up then its all over in july that sucks big sooo….
Players Championship to start the year !!!!
That would really boost that event to the moon and even if its nfl we will be glued to the screen and fired up for a new golfing year like tennis.
What do you guys think ?
Hey guys. Like your podcast. First time listening.. Thank you for talking about LIV golf. I know that the powers that be at golf channel don't like talking about them. But I'm a fan of that tour. Hope you talk about the fact that Anthony Kim just won back a spot on LIV golf. He is a great story.