Patrick Reed holds the 54-hole lead in Dubai. His LIV Golf compatriot David Puig is in second place, four shots behind entering Sunday’s final round. But the conversation at the DP World Tour’s Rolex Series event isn’t about their golf.
At least, that’s not the main topic.
As members of LIV Golf, Reed, Puig and others will be subject to fines from the DP World Tour for playing in conflicting events once LIV’s season starts in February. While Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton are appealing the fines they started to collect when they joined LIV in 2024, Reed will have no issue ponying up the money to remain a DP World Tour member in good standing, even though the exact punishment is unknown.
“So, we don’t know really what it entails for this year,” Reed told reporters in Dubai on Friday, via Golf Digest’s Evin Priest. “I mean, if it happens [that I’m] having to pay fines to play out here, so be it. I’m not going to allow that to deter me from showing support and playing on this tour. I’ve done it since I won the [2014] WGC [Cadillac event at Doral] and I don’t plan on stopping.”
The DP World Tour fines members for competing in conflicting events without a release. The fines are weighted based on whether or not the LIV event is in the same time zone or region as the current DP World Tour event. Fines are higher if a LIV event is opposite a Rolex Series event or another flagship tournament.
But if Reed can finish the job on Sunday in Dubai, he’ll collect a $1.5 million winner’s check, which can help with the fines he’s about to incur.
“Go ahead and win early [in the season] and that will take care of it,” Reed said, joking.
“There’s so many different factors that go into it … I’d rather just tee it up and play, and [if it] costs me this, whatever, I’ll go play. Play well, and it offsets,” Reed said later.
As for Puig, the young Spaniard is taking the same approach as Reed. While he hopes the DP World Tour and LIV Golf can reach a deal, Puig will “pay whatever” it takes to remain a member.
“In my case, I want to be part of the tour, so I’ll do everything I can to keep being part of it. If that makes paying whatever amount, I’ll do it,” Puig told reporters on Friday, via bunkered.co.uk.
“It’s expensive, obviously, but I’m willing to do that. That’s why I joined the tour. We’ll see what happens. I don’t really know what’s going to happen, but in my case, I’m willing to do as much as I can to be part of this tour.”
As for Rahm and Hatton, they had a small win in 2025 when a stay was granted on their fines pending a final verdict to remove them. That decision allowed them to be part of Europe’s victorious 2025 Ryder Cup team at Bethpage Black, provided they played the minimum number of events required to remain a DP World Tour member. Rahm told GOLF’s Subpar Podcast that the fines are somewhere in excess of $3 million. The two-time major champion has been adamant that he will not pay the fines even if he and Hatton eventually lose their appeal, which is likely.
On Wednesday, Rory McIlroy noted that Team Europe all said they would “pay to play” in the Ryder Cup instead of being paid to play like members of Team USA, and that Hatton and Rahm, two core members of the team, can and should do just that.
“We went really hard on the Americans about being paid to play the Ryder Cup, and we also said that we would pay to play in Ryder Cups,” McIlroy said.
“There are two guys that can prove it.”
While Rahm and Hatton wait for the final verdict on their appeal, Reed is hoping 18 more holes at the Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis Course will take care of whatever fines are waiting for him once LIV’s season begins.
To Reed, as long as he’s doing his part, the fines won’t be that big of a deal.
“I love being that one American that comes over and tries to be a thorn in everyone’s side when all the Europeans are out playing,” Reed said. “It’s fun, it’s fun coming over and playing, and hey, if I play like I’m supposed to, that will take care of the fines.”
