Patrick Reed won the DP World Tour’s Hero Dubai Desert Classic on Sunday by four strokes, but afterward, much of the focus wasn’t about him returning to the winner’s circle.
Instead, more questions about his LIV Golf future emerged.
Earlier in the week, the 35-year-old said he’s “supposed to be” playing in Riyadh for the first LIV event of 2026. So after his victory, a reporter asked why Reed didn’t use definitive terminology regarding next month’s season opener—and Reed revealed a surprising fact about his current standing with the Saudi-backed circuit.
“We're still finalizing the contract,” Reed said. “We’re not complete on that yet.”
Reed then confirmed that he does not have a deal for this season, which begins in two weeks, and is indeed a free agent.
“At the moment, yes, sir,” the 2018 Masters champion said. “It’s one of those things that I don’t like to talk business and stuff while I’m playing, and so it's like Monday through Wednesday is the only time to really talk about it.
“And so, it's just kind of one of those things that, you know, getting here this week, I knew that once Thursday got here, just focus on golf and golf only. You know, starting tonight and tomorrow, we'll get back to talking and things like that.”
This fuels speculation of LIV losing another marquee name this year after Brooks Koepka, who left LIV and is returning to the PGA Tour, with sanctions. Earlier this week, Reed turned heads when he called the PGA Tour “the best tour” in the world and admitted he would consider coming back. Reed left the Tour for LIV in 2022.
Following Koepka’s departure, the PGA Tour created a “Returning Member Program,” which granted a one-time opportunity for LIV players who have won a major since 2022 (Koepka, Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Cam Smith) to return under certain conditions with a Feb. 2 deadline.
Reed wasn’t extended the offer and said he hasn’t had discussions with the PGA Tour amid negotiations with LIV.
Reed will pay fines and continue to play on the DP World Tour
Reed, though, has played the last two DPWT events and will compete in next week’s Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship.
After Round 1 in Dubai, Reed disclosed that he intends to pay his $1 million in fines from the DPWT to ensure he can continue playing on the European circuit. He, along with other LIV golfers, such as Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton, have incurred financial penalties for playing LIV tournaments conflicting with the DP World Tour, in which they are all members. Rahm and Hatton are appealing their fines, which could impact their Ryder Cup future.
But despite all the uproar about Reed’s LIV contract (or non-contract, rather) he still intends to compete in Riyadh.
“Not that I know of. Not right now,” Reed said when asked if he has possibly played his last LIV event. “Really just all kind of depends on everything. I mean, I haven’t talked to the team back home or anything like that. But at the moment, I plan on teeing it up there in Riyadh, and I’d be surprised if we're not.”
More Golf from Sports Illustrated
- Teenager Nearly Shoots 59 at American Express, Co-Leads with Scottie Scheffler
- 2026 American Express Final Payouts, Prize Money, Winnings From Star-Studded Field
- PGA West, Jewel of the California Desert, Has Never Looked Better
- The Best Things We Saw at the PGA Merchandise Show
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Patrick Reed Reveals Surprising LIV Contract Status After Dubai Win.
