LA JOLLA, Calif. — Patrick Reed is leaving LIV and plotting a return to the PGA Tour.
Both Reed and the Tour released statements on Wednesday morning announcing the bombshell news, which comes just a week ahead of LIV’s first event of 2026. So how can Reed rejoin the Tour — and who else is coming with him? Here are five things you should know:
1. Why is Patrick Reed leaving LIV?
“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 wrote in a statement.
As far as why, that was as clear as we got in his statement. Reed had revealed after last week’s win in Dubai that he was not yet under contract with LIV for this upcoming season; that proved a sign of things to come.
“I am moving forward in my career, and I look forward to competing on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour,” his statement read. “I can’t wait to get back out there and revisit some of the best places on earth.”
Reed thanked “everyone involved for helping me make this decision” and said that over the course of his four years at LIV he “learned a lot about myself, about who I am and who I am not, and for that I am forever grateful.”
Reed also thanked Dustin Johnson, the captain of his 4 Aces LIV team, and LIV, for “the memories we shared and created together.”
2. When can Reed return?
A couple dates are important here. Reed’s most recent LIV event, last season’s team championship, concluded on Aug. 24, 2025 and the PGA Tour confirmed in a statement that he will be eligible to return after one year’s suspension — so he could play beginning on Aug. 25, 2026. That would be just as a non-member, which means he could accept sponsor invitations, play in Monday qualifiers or even get a captain’s pick onto the Presidents Cup team.
The other important date is Jan. 1, 2027; that’s when Reed could reinstate his PGA Tour membership. He has existing eligibility as a past champion on Tour and will hope to get even better status, too. Speaking of which…
3. What’s Reed’s path back?
Reed actually has a very clear path back to the Tour. He’s eligible to compete this season on the DP World Tour and declared in his statement that he intends to do so.
His DPWT participation gives him a direct line back because it offers PGA Tour cards to its 10 highest non-member finishers at the end of the season. Because Reed won last week’s Dubai Desert Classic, he jumped to No. 2 in those standings. That win could prove to be a massive unlock — and may have been a factor in Reed’s decision, too. If he plays reasonably well the rest of the season he’ll have an excellent chance of earning one of those 10 spots.
4. What does Reed’s return mean for the PGA Tour?
This is a win for the PGA Tour, which steals one of LIV’s high-profile players and compelling characters on the eve of its season. It’s also fair to say that Reed’s return comes with some complex dynamics.
It’s fitting that this announcement comes on the five-year anniversary of Reed’s five-stroke victory at Torrey Pines, which included a strange and controversial embedded-ball ruling on the 10th hole. That was classic Reed: when he’s under extra scrutiny he seems to elevate his play to another level.
Reed has sued a swath of media members for hundreds of millions of dollars. His lawyer Larry Klayman also sued the PGA Tour, attempted to subpoena Tiger Woods and served Rory McIlroy papers on Christmas Eve at his house. (McIlroy raised that information after a tee-flicking incident in early 2023.) You get the idea — there’s some messy history here.
Still, the fact that Reed will have to earn his status back rather than the get-out-of-jail-free card that slipped to Brooks Koepka should help his standing with fellow members. But it will be interesting to hear from McIlroy — and from Woods, whose voice was undoubtedly part of this decision — as the news filters through the golf world.
5. Who else is coming with him?
After Koepka’s announcement kicked off the Returning Member program on the PGA Tour, there’d been speculation around the possible return of Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm or Cameron Smith, three other eligible players.
Those three all appear to be locked in on LIV for the 2026 season. But there are three other ex-LIV pros who have reinstated their memberships. Pat Perez and Hudson Swafford will be eligible to return in Jan. 2027, while Kevin Na — who recently lost his captaincy of the now-renamed Korean GC — appears in disciplinary limbo. Here’s what the Tour told its members in a memo:
- Kevin Na last participated in an unauthorized event on August 24, 2025. His membership has been reinstated; however, he is currently facing disciplinary action for outstanding violations of the Regulations. We will provide more clarity on Kevin’s return date when appropriate.
- Pat Perez reinstated his membership in January 2026 and is in the process of serving his disciplinary action for outstanding violations of the Regulations. He is currently eligible to return to PGA TOUR-sanctioned competition on January 1, 2027.
- Hudson Swafford reinstated his membership in January 2025 and is in the process of serving his disciplinary action for outstanding violations of the Regulations. He is currently eligible to return to PGA TOUR-sanctioned competition on January 1, 2027.
They’ll hope to see Reed there.
