Former Masters champion Patrick Reed has announced that he is leaving the LIV Golf League to make a return to the PGA Tour later this year.
The 35-year-old American, who joined LIV Golf in 2022, follows Brooks Koepka in voluntarily departing the Saudi Arabia-backed series before the start of the new season.
“After careful thought and consideration, I have decided that I will no longer compete on the LIV Golf Tour,” Reed wrote on social media. “I am excited to announce that I am returning to the PGA Tour as a past champion member for the 2027 season and am eligible to begin competing in PGA Tour events later this year.”
LIV Golf said that they were unable to agree terms for a contract extension with Reed, and that he left with their appreciation for his contribution to LIV Golf’s development.
A statement from LIV Golf said: “LIV has always been an advocate for player movement and recognises that when golf settles into a new normal, players will not only have the right, but the opportunity to play golf when and where they want. As we look forward, our focus remains on building teams and a league that fans can believe in and players enjoy.”
Reed joins fellow high-profile player Koepka in leaving LIV Golf in recent weeks. The latter returns to the PGA Tour at this week’s Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines having stpped away from LIV Golf in December. Koepka is able to play after the PGA Tour introduced a new ‘returning member programme’ which allows players who have been away from the PGA Tour for at least two years and have won a major between 2022-25 to rejoin the PGA Tour, with the door to that opportunity closing on February 2.
However, Reed does not meet those criteria and rules dictate that he will not be eligible to play on the PGA Tour again until August 25, a full 12 months after his last LIV appearance.
Reed, who won last week’s Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour, said he planned on playing on Europe’s top tier circuit this year, with the likelihood that he will return to the PGA Tour in the autumn, before embarking on a full season in 2027.
“I will continue to compete and play as an honorary lifetime member on the DP World Tour, which is something that I am excited to do,” said Reed. “I am very fortunate for the opportunities that have come my way and grateful for the life we have created. I am moving forward in my career, and I look forward to competing on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour.”