AUGUSTA, Ga. — Patrick Reed arrives at Augusta National as one of the game’s hottest players, having won twice on the DP World Tour while adding a T-2 finish. Few venues suit his game better; since claiming the green jacket in 2018, he has finished T-12 or better five times, including a third-place showing last spring. Reed should very much factor into this week’s proceedings. But it is his future—and his recent past—that commanded the conversation Monday.
Two months ago, Reed left LIV Golf with a singular goal: return to the PGA Tour. He secured that return through his hot streak on the DP World Tour, securing one of the 10 cards the European league hands out to its top finishers in the Race to Dubai standings. Yet unlike fellow defector Brooks Koepka, whose departure from LIV had been rumored for some time, Reed’s decision came without warning. Speaking from the Augusta National press building Monday, he explained what went into it, and when.
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“Yeah, it definitely happened quickly,” Reed said, “but it was one of those that, when I was over there in Dubai and playing, I really just kind of was sitting back and realizing that I wanted to get back and not only join—have an opportunity back on the PGA Tour, but get back to the traditional way of golf and playing.
“When I stood there in Dubai, that Saturday the entire range is full, and then guys just start disappearing, and you’re the last man on that tee box. Then you’re walking to the tee, you’re the last name announced, and you’ve lost the lead because someone is 5-under through 8. All those just rushes and those scenarios, kind of going back into playing golf that way, where you’re going out there and you’re having the battles between not just yourself, but the other guys on the leaderboard. For me, I wanted that back, I wanted that adrenaline back, and those feelings, especially with the way I played those last three weeks.”
Reed said the timing was fortuitous; though LIV’s new season was scheduled to start, he had not signed his new deal, technically making him a free agent. He mentioned wanting to test his game on the “best tour in the world.”
“I’ve played on every single one of them,” Reed said. “It’s one of those that from top to bottom that’s the place that I feel like is best for us to go and compete against the top guys year in and year out, week in and week out.”
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However, it’s not just about competition. Reed also asserted LIV’s international schedule was keeping him from spending as much time with family as he would have liked. “My daughter is now eleven; little man’s eight. It seems like time has flown. I definitely want to watch them grow up and be home a little bit more, yet still at the same time to play against the best guys,” Reed said. “To be honest with you, it was one of those decisions that I felt like was the best, not just for the golf game, but also for my family to spend more time with them. I’ve enjoyed every minute of it obviously being at home and spending time with the kiddos and my wife.”
Reed finished by saying he enjoyed his team on LIV, especially with his team. He clarified that there was no hard feelings between himself and former employer. “Yeah, there’s nothing that I felt like was going on between LIV and us or anything like that. Like I said, we had a contract, had a deal, but at the end of the day, I felt like the best thing for us was to come to the PGA Tour again.”
Because he is facing a year suspension from his last LIV Golf appearance, Reed is not eligible to return to the PGA Tour until its fall season. For now, that means more starts on the DP World Tour. “Those travels overseas, it’s going to be a lot this year,” Reed said, “but at the same time, I can’t wait to obviously go out there and compete, but at the same time, come home and see the family.”
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