Patrick Reed has delivered another devastating blow to the fledgling LIV Golf tour by announcing his departure from the circuit ahead of its 2026 season. The move marks the latest high-profile defection, as the 35-year-old American former Masters champion joins Brooks Koepka in opting for the PGA Tour instead.
Reed's decision comes after a surprise revelation at his post-tournament media conference in Dubai, where he admitted that he had not yet formally committed to LIV for this year. The 2018 Masters winner explained his switch, stating that he is "excited to announce" his return to the PGA Tour as a past champion member for the 2027 season.
Reed will spend his immediate time competing on the DP World Tour, where he won the Dubai Desert Classic on Sunday. His decision has significant implications for LIV Golf, which had once been seen as a major draw for top talent. With Reed and Koepka gone, the tour is now facing an uncertain future.
The PGA Tour has welcomed Reed back with open arms, with the organization stating that he is "eligible to compete on the PGA Tour as a non-member beginning on August 25th." Reed's return marks another significant blow to LIV Golf, which had previously lost other high-profile players to rival tours. The exit of Koepka and Reed leaves only Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cameron Smith remaining from the tour's most significant talent pool.
As attention turns towards these three players, it remains to be seen whether they will seek to defect to the PGA Tour as well. LIV Golf is now facing an increasingly uphill battle in its quest for top-level talent, and Reed's departure serves as a stark reminder of the challenges the tour faces in the current competitive golf landscape.
Reed's decision comes after a surprise revelation at his post-tournament media conference in Dubai, where he admitted that he had not yet formally committed to LIV for this year. The 2018 Masters winner explained his switch, stating that he is "excited to announce" his return to the PGA Tour as a past champion member for the 2027 season.
Reed will spend his immediate time competing on the DP World Tour, where he won the Dubai Desert Classic on Sunday. His decision has significant implications for LIV Golf, which had once been seen as a major draw for top talent. With Reed and Koepka gone, the tour is now facing an uncertain future.
The PGA Tour has welcomed Reed back with open arms, with the organization stating that he is "eligible to compete on the PGA Tour as a non-member beginning on August 25th." Reed's return marks another significant blow to LIV Golf, which had previously lost other high-profile players to rival tours. The exit of Koepka and Reed leaves only Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cameron Smith remaining from the tour's most significant talent pool.
As attention turns towards these three players, it remains to be seen whether they will seek to defect to the PGA Tour as well. LIV Golf is now facing an increasingly uphill battle in its quest for top-level talent, and Reed's departure serves as a stark reminder of the challenges the tour faces in the current competitive golf landscape.
... they're losing all these big names one by one... first it was Brooks Koepka, now Patrick Reed is out and he was like a rockstar of golf 
... I'm kinda sad to see him go, dude had some amazing moments in the majors... but at the same time, gotta respect his decision... he's going back to the PGA Tour, which is still one of the best tours out there... I mean, LIV Golf is like that one cousin who thinks they can compete with the big kids, but really they're just trying to keep up 
... anyway, this just means more drama and excitement for golf fans, so let's see what happens next 
I'm not surprised at all that Patrick Reed jumped ship from LIV Golf. I mean, have you seen his bank account lately? 
The guy can afford to take whatever tour he wants and still live comfortably. It's just another example of how LIV Golf is struggling to attract top talent. And honestly, who wouldn't want to play on the PGA Tour with all the prize money it offers? I'm sure Reed was feeling the pressure from his peers and saw an opportunity to join Brooks Koepka back on the right side. Now we'll see if Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cameron Smith will follow suit... 
guess you never know what goes on in someone's head lol! and now that koepka is gone too, it's like the pga tour is getting all the heavy hitters 
. I mean, have you seen how much money those guys are making on the PGA Tour already? It's like they're playing for peanuts over there. And now with Koepka out too, it's just a matter of time before they all defect. I don't blame Reed for taking the opportunity to join the big boys' club, either. Those prize purses on the PGA Tour are huge! 
Patrick Reed just crushed LIV Golf's hopes again! 
Like seriously, this dude's got some serious game and he's not afraid to walk away from a potentially lucrative deal to come back to the PGA Tour. I gotta respect that about him 
. And now with Brooks Koepka gone too, it's like LIV Golf just lost two huge guns 
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. This isn't just about golf, it's about economics and supply and demand 
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theyre loosing all the big names like koepka and now reed is out too... think we'll see some major shakeups this season 
but seriously, who's gonna take these big names? LIV golf is gonna have to step up their game if they wanna compete with the pga tour 
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. This is what happens when you try to disrupt a well-oiled machine - you end up getting pwned 
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. Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cameron Smith are still on board, so it's not like the tour is completely dead in the water just yet. But it's definitely an uncertain future for now.
just heard about Patrick Reed leaving LIV Golf 
️ to their plans 
and now they're left with those 3 guys, Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cameron Smith 
or not 
this is so sad... patrick reed was one of the few players who seemed to be all-in on liv golf and now he's leaving... it's like they're losing their biggest stars one by one 
but seriously lvs golf should be having more drama not less 
. I mean, let's be real, the PGA Tour is still the big leagues here. The money, the exposure, it's all on one side of the pond. Plus, with Koepka out too, it's like they're saying "peace out" to their former stars 
. Now, I'm curious to see if Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cameron Smith will follow suit or stick it out with LIV Golf 
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... I mean, who wants to sign up for a tour that doesn't even know if they're officially in? And now he's making it clear that he wants to focus on being a past champion member, which is super prestigious 
gotta wonder if they'll be able to attract any top players now that Reed and Koepka are gone 
. I mean, they've been able to lure back some big names like Reed and now Brooks Koepka, it's clear that top talent wants what the PGA Tour has to offer - stability and a strong competitive pool. It's not gonna be easy for LIV Golf to regain their footing after this loss 
. The PGA Tour always has the best stars, and it's no surprise that everyone wants to be there 
. Maybe they should just give up on trying to compete with the likes of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson in the past 
to the pga tour! i mean who wouldn't wanna come back to the tour where they actually have a chance at winning major champs? lol brooks koepka's already gone and now reed's in, that's like 2 of the best players in one place 