LIV Golf’s Patrick Reed has broken ranks to say he’d welcome a return to the PGA Tour with open arms despite building himself a reputation as one of the circuit’s greatest villains.
The 2018 Masters champion became a controversial figure after he found himself at the centre of cheating claims on multiple occasions, most notably in the Bahamas in 2019 when he was found to have illegally improved his lie in a bunker.
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Cheating allegations aside, Reed was considered one of the PGA Tour’s most abrasive personalities, while his wife was widely considered to be behind a pro-Reed burner account on X that would attack his critics.
His reputation on the PGA Tour was then rubber-stamped when he jumped ship to join the Saudi-backed LIV Golf on a bumper deal. In 2022, the year he joined, Reed was estimated by Forbes to have pocketed US$37 million (A$55m) for the year.
But in the wake of Brooks Koepka’s bombshell return to the PGA Tour from LIV Golf, Reed has said he’d be willing to make the same move in the future.
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Asked about a hypothetical return while playing the Dubai Invitational, he said: “I mean, of course; if it were up to me, I’d play everywhere.”
Outside of playing on LIV Golf’s global tour, Reed also turned out for 10 DP World Tour and four Asian Tour events in 2025.
“I’m already playing on three tours, why not add one more?” he said with a laugh.
“I always enjoyed my time out there on the PGA Tour.”
Reed then went further, admitting that LIV Golf is not the world’s premiere tour in a move that is sure to go down poorly with its Saudi backers.
“Let’s be honest, out there, it’s (the PGA Tour) the best tour in the world. Look at what they’ve done in golf… I could see myself playing there at some point again. But right now, you just never know; everything’s so fluid.”
The PGA Tour this month opened a shock door to certain LIV Golf members eager to make a return.
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They announced a Returning Member Program — a one-time offer that came with heavy penalties, chiefly the barring of earning any equity in the Tour for at least five years.
The deal, however, had highly-specific eligibility criteria that meant the only eligible LIV Golf members were Koepka, Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Smith as they had won a major after 2021.
Reed’s sole major came in 2018.
“Right now, it’s not even a decision,” Reed said. “That was for ’22-and-on winners. So, I definitely would have to think about it… if that number [came] down to 2018,” he said.
“Right now, it’s hard to say really what we’re going to do or anything like that. Right now, the biggest thing is trying to play some good golf these [two] weeks, not only to solidify myself out here on DP, but to have a good momentum going into the year.”
Patrick Reed’s only major came in 2018.Source: Getty Images
Reed doubled down saying he has “always wanted to be a worldwide player”, which means at least playing on the DP World Tour.
The DP World Tour currently fines its members who tee it up in a conflicting LIV Golf event. LIV Golf had reportedly been footing the bill for its fined stars, but will do so no longer in 2026, meaning Reed will have to pay himself.
Even so, he made his choice clear.
“Me travelling and playing around the world… it helps this tour, but also it’s something I’ve always held true to my heart and wanted to do. So, if [paying the fines is] what it takes, that’s what it takes,” he said.