Back in January, PGA Tour villain-turned-LIV Golf star Patrick Reed announced a shocking decision. He was leaving LIV to play the 2026 season on the DP World Tour.
At the time, Reed was the first LIV star since Brooks Koepka to ditch the upstart league for a return to pro golf’s conventional career track. It turned out to be a wise move.
Reed did not receive a special exemption to return to the PGA Tour in 2026, as Koepka did, so he took the matter into his own hands. Within a few weeks of his LIV exit, Reed won two DP World Tour events to rocket into first place in the Race to Dubai rankings.
The top 10 players in the Race to Dubai at season’s end earn their PGA Tour cards. With one tournament to go, Reed sits in third. He has a great chance to win the title, but either way, he’s already secured his 2027 PGA Tour return.
That’s an enviable position in which to be, especially compared to Reed’s former LIV compatriots who decided to stick with the upstart league in 2026. Now LIV Golf is no more, and, unlike Reed, those players are scrambling to find playing opportunities for next year while serving lengthy PGA Tour bans.
But in his pre-tournament press conference at this week’s DP World Tour Championship, Reed explained that he gets no “satisfaction” out of the fact that so many LIV players are stuck in difficult situations following the league’s demise, while he is making PGA Tour plans for 2027.
The 2018 Masters champion also revealed serious ambitions for both his PGA Tour and, potentially, Ryder Cup returns next year.
Patrick Reed on beating other LIV pros back to PGA Tour: ‘I don’t really get any satisfaction’
Make no mistake about it, Reed is pleased with his decision to leave LIV earlier this year before the league went under. He’s also proud of himself for putting the work in and earning his way back to the PGA Tour the hard way.
“The year has been very satisfying, and really, I’ve kind of reflected a little bit on it the past couple weeks, on kind of going out there,” Reed said. “And rankings don’t really mean anything at the beginning of the year, throughout the year and everything like that. It’s about going out there and getting the job done.”
With wins at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic in late January and the Qatar Masters in early February, Reed did just that, virtually earning his 2027 PGA Tour card before winter had ended.
“To kind of make that step and make the opportunity, to have to finish in the top 10 to earn my spot on the PGA Tour, and basically come out and believe in myself and put all my eggs in one basket and go get the job done means a lot,” Reed said.
But Reed was quick to clarify that he takes no delight in the fact that dozens of other LIV pros are a year behind in their returns to the DP World and PGA tours.
“To be honest with you, I mean, I don’t really get any satisfaction from making a decision and watching the other guys have to sit out a year and have the repercussions of that,” Reed said. “The more satisfaction is going out there and playing solid golf. You never want to see guys struggle or have to sit out, things like that.”
Instead, Reed empathizes with those players, many of whom he calls “good friends.” He also expressed hope that they will be able to follow in his footsteps and earn their way back to the PGA Tour via the DP World Tour next year.
“We’re all competitors,” Reed said. “We’re all athletes and, really, at the end of the day, a lot of those guys that are going through that are good friends of mine. You sit there, and you just hope that they are able to come out and do what I did: Come out and play solid golf and come out on the PGA Tour.”
Reed reveals major ambitions for PGA Tour, Ryder Cup returns
While Reed has more immediate concerns on his hands at the DP World Tour Championship, he revealed that he has already envisioned what he wants to accomplish next year on the PGA Tour, namely to “assert” himself among pro golf’s elite and to qualify for the 2027 U.S. Ryder Cup team.
“I haven’t really set my goals yet, but obviously going back on the PGA Tour, go make the Ryder Cup team,” Reed said of his 2027 plans. “Go out and get back to the winner’s circle on the PGA Tour like I was right before I left. Go out there and assert myself into the Top 10 in the world again.”
The 36-year-old, nine-time Tour winner also has something else on his mind heading into next year: winning more majors.
“Get back up to where I feel like I should be, and just continue giving myself opportunities and having fun on the weekend and compete in the majors and hopefully get more than just the one green jacket I have,” Reed said. “Hopefully win a couple more.”
Before joining LIV, Reed didn’t just make a name for himself on the PGA Tour and at Augusta National, he also was a stalwart of the U.S. Ryder Cup team. His successes with the American side, and his rivalry with Rory McIlroy, earned him the nickname “Captain America.”
In his press conference, Reed said it would mean “everything” to play on the U.S. team at Adare Manor next fall and to return to “being a thorn in the side for those Europeans.”
“Any time I can represent United States and wear red, white and blue means a lot for me,” Reed said. “And I know obviously for my team and my family, and yeah, to get back and playing on those Ryder Cup teams and being a thorn in the side for those Europeans has always been something I’ve always enjoyed and had fun with.”
He continued: “It’s one of those things that as a golfer and as a player, you’re always wanting. No matter what sport you are, you are wanting to represent your country and go out there and play for your country.”
Reed made it clear that the Ryder Cup will be among his top goals for 2027. It may even be his No. 1 goal for the season.
“So for me, it would mean a lot,” Reed said. “And obviously I know next year it’s going to be important to go out there and play really well next year to make the team. It’s definitely going to be a part of the goals, if not right there right at the top of first thing I want to do, is go out there and represent our country and play for the USA.”
Before Reed can start grinding for a Ryder Cup spot on the PGA Tour, he has pressing business to take care of this week.
With a win at the DP World Tour Championship, Reed would be all-but assured the Race to Dubai title. If he is successful, he’ll join Collin Morikawa as the only Americans to claim the European crown.
“But we are still not done,” Reed said. “We have one more week, and still have that opportunity to be the second American to win the Race to Dubai, which would mean a lot to me. So hopefully we can go out there and cap off the year.”
To make it happen, he’ll have to get past two of his biggest rivals from Ryder Cups past: McIlroy and Jon Rahm.
