After his Dubai win, Patrick Reed faces a decision: his LIV Golf contract remains unsigned as the Riyadh season opener approaches.
Following his victory at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour, Texan Patrick Reed spoke about his future with the Saudi-backed LIV Golf League. During a press conference, Reed was asked whether he would participate in the upcoming LIV Golf season opener in Riyadh in February, as he had previously given evasive answers. Reed, who has played with the 4Aces GC team since June 2022, initially stated that he “should be ready” for the next LIV season, which prompted further questioning during the event.
LIV Golf Contract Still Not Renewed
The 35-year-old revealed that he has yet to renew his LIV Golf contract and aims to finalize the details with the Saudi league within the roughly two-week window before the LIV Golf Riyadh event from February 4 to 7. “We’re still working on the contract details,” Reed said, adding, “We’re not finished yet.” Reed mentioned that he prefers to focus on golf during tournaments and avoids discussing business matters, saying Monday through Wednesday are the only days he discusses such topics. “When I arrived this week, I knew that from Thursday onwards I’d concentrate solely on golf,” he added.
Patrick Reed Plans to Compete in Riyadh
Reed is also scheduled to compete at the next DP World Tour event, the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship. Despite the uncertainty, he anticipates a contract extension: “I haven’t yet spoken with my team at home or anything like that,” Reed said. “But at the moment, I plan to play in Riyadh and would be surprised if I don’t.” Over four years with LIV Golf, Reed placed three times in the top seven overall and secured his first LIV Golf individual victory in Dallas last season. Meanwhile, he remained active outside the league, playing 18 world ranking events last year compared to ten the previous year, with ten starts on the DP World Tour, where he holds a lifetime membership despite ongoing fines linked to his LIV involvement. Reed recently stated his willingness to pay whatever is necessary to continue competing on the DP World Tour.
DP World Tour as Possible Route Back to PGA Tour
Following his win at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, Reed rose back into the top 30 in the world golf rankings, currently sitting at 29th. If he does not return to LIV, Reed sees the DP World Tour as a pathway back to the PGA Tour. Unlike Brooks Koepka, who is returning to the PGA Tour at the Farmers Insurance Open, Reed cannot easily make the switch as his 2018 Masters win does not meet the PGA return criteria which require a major title no later 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 secure a top 10 spot in the Race to Dubai, and thereby regain my PGA Tour status,” he explained.