After his Dubai win, Patrick Reed faces a decision: his LIV Golf contract remains open as the season start in Riyadh approaches.
Following his victory at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour in the United Arab Emirates, Texan Patrick Reed spoke about his future with the Saudi-backed LIV Golf league during a press conference. When asked about participating in LIV Golf’s season opener in Riyadh in early February, Reed, who has played for the 4Aces GC team since June 2022, initially replied he “should be ready” for the upcoming season but was pressed for a clearer answer.
LIV Golf Contract Not Yet Renewed
It emerged that the 35-year-old has not yet renewed his contract with LIV Golf and aims to finalize the details within approximately two weeks before the LIV Golf Riyadh presented by ROSHN Group tournament from February 4 to 7. “We are still working on the contract details,” Reed said, adding, “We’re not done yet.”
Reed also mentioned preferring not to discuss business matters publicly during tournaments, stating that Monday to Wednesday are his preferred days for such conversations, as he focuses solely on golf from Thursday onwards.
Patrick Reed: “Currently Planning to Play in Riyadh”
Reed is also entered in the upcoming DP World Tour event, the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship, making the next few days crucial for his LIV future. Despite uncertainty, he expects to extend his contract: “I haven’t talked to the team at home yet, but right now I’m planning to play in Riyadh and would be surprised if we don’t,” Reed said.
Over four seasons with LIV Golf, Reed has placed in the top seven of the overall standings three times and secured his first individual LIV Golf win last season in Dallas. Concurrently, he remains active outside the league, participating in 18 world ranking events last year, including 10 on the DP World Tour, where he holds lifetime membership despite ongoing fines due to his LIV involvement. Reed stated he is prepared to pay whatever is necessary to continue competing on the DP World Tour.
DP World Tour as Potential Route Back to PGA Tour
After his Dubai win, Patrick Reed climbed back into the top 30 in the Official World Golf Ranking, currently sitting 29th. Should he not return to LIV, he views the DP World Tour as a pathway back to the PGA Tour. Unlike Brooks Koepka, who recently made his PGA return at the Farmers Insurance Open, Reed cannot easily return due to his 2018 Masters win, as the PGA Tour’s return program requires a major title won no earlier than 2022. “If I don’t play LIV this year, one option would be to play more on this tour (DP World Tour), try to finish in the top 10 in the Race to Dubai, and thereby regain my PGA Tour card,” Reed explained.