Patrick Reed is officially leaving LIV Golf, becoming the second major champion to depart the Saudi-backed league and signaling a potential return to the PGA Tour as early as September.
Reed announced Wednesday that he will spend the remainder of 2026 competing on the DP World Tour, a move that clears a pathway back to the PGA Tour later this year. The decision comes just three days after Reed captured the Dubai Desert Classic and during the same week Brooks Koepka makes his own PGA Tour return at Torrey Pines.
“I’m a traditionalist at heart, and I was born to play on the PGA Tour, which is where my story began with my wife, Justine,” Reed said in a social media post. “I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunities I’ve had and the life we’ve built. I’m moving forward in my career and look forward to competing on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour. I can’t wait to revisit some of the best places on earth.”
The PGA Tour recently distributed a memo outlining reinstatement options for former LIV players. Reed does not qualify for the “Returning Member Program,” which applied only to players who won a major or The Players Championship since 2022. His Masters victory came in 2018.
Under tour guidelines, Reed is eligible to return one year after his final LIV appearance, dated Aug. 24, 2025. Because he resigned his PGA Tour membership when he joined LIV—and was not a plaintiff in the 2022 antitrust lawsuit—Reed will not face additional disciplinary action.
Reed could tee it up in the FedEx Cup Fall series beginning with the Biltmore Championship in Asheville, North Carolina (Sept. 17–20), if he receives a sponsor exemption. His past champion status will not be usable until 2027.
Another, perhaps cleaner, route back would come through Europe. Reed can earn full PGA Tour status by finishing inside the top 10 of the Race to Dubai among players not already holding PGA Tour membership. His win in Dubai vaulted him to No. 2 in the standings, giving him momentum—and a full DP World Tour schedule—heading into the spring.
Currently ranked No. 29 in the world, Reed is also exempt into all four major championships this year.
LIV Golf begins its fifth season next week in Saudi Arabia. Reed, meanwhile, is competing in Bahrain this week on the European tour, his third consecutive start. Upon returning to the PGA Tour, he would not be eligible for shares in the Player Equity Program through 2030, mirroring restrictions placed on Koepka, who also forfeited FedEx Cup bonus eligibility this year.
Reed would be eligible for consideration as a captain’s pick for the Presidents Cup in September. His last appearance in a team event came at the 2019 Presidents Cup in Australia. Though he owns a strong 12-9-5 combined record in Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup play, his most recent appearances were marred by controversy, including criticism of his role in the 2018 Ryder Cup loss in Paris and an incident involving his caddie and a fan in Australia.
LIV Golf confirmed Reed’s departure in a statement, citing a contract impasse. He leaves Dustin Johnson’s 4 Aces GC, which also includes Thomas Pieters and newcomer Thomas Detry. A replacement has not yet been announced.
“We were not able to come to terms with Patrick on a potential contract extension,” LIV Golf said. “We’re grateful for everything he contributed during his time on the 4 Aces and wish him the best.”
The PGA Tour also confirmed that Kevin Na, Hudson Swafford and Pat Perez have reinstated their memberships, though each faces separate disciplinary hurdles. Perez and Swafford—both plaintiffs in the antitrust lawsuit—are not eligible to return until 2027. Perez also served as part of LIV’s broadcast team last season.
“The dominos are starting to fall,” said Harris English. “I think guys see the PGA Tour getting stronger and realize money isn’t everything.”
While Reed lacks Koepka’s resume, he remains one of golf’s most polarizing—and global—figures. He has won 12 times across four tours, regularly competing in Europe and Asia without relying on appearance fees, and famously began his PGA Tour career by grinding through Monday qualifiers.
Reed is perhaps best remembered for his singles victory over Rory McIlroy at the 2016 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine and his flair for embracing hostile crowds, dating back to his Ryder Cup debut in Scotland in 2014. But his career has also included scrutiny, most notably a two-shot penalty at the 2019 Hero World Challenge for improving his lie in a waste area.
Reed said he will continue to compete on the DP World Tour as an honorary member, a status granted through his Masters victory. After stops in Qatar and South Africa, the tour heads to China and India before the Masters, setting the stage for a pivotal stretch in Reed’s bid to return to golf’s biggest stage.
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