LIV Golf’s struggles didn’t end with Brooks Koepka’s exit. This week, Patrick Reed added another layer of trouble for the league.
There were signs that LIV Golf could steady itself after Koepka’s move. Cameron Smith, Jon Rahm, and Bryson DeChambeau all made it clear they weren’t interested in returning to the PGA Tour under the new offer.
But then Patrick Reed made his decision. He declined a new contract from LIV and announced on Wednesday that he intends to rejoin the PGA Tour.
While serving a suspension, he’ll spend much of the season playing on the DP World Tour.
Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed may not be finished with LIV just yet
LIV are unlikely to lose any more players before the new season gets underway in Riyadh next week.
But with DeChambeau’s contract up at the end of the year, there will be plenty of eyes on how things unfold over the next 12 months.
And there’s still a way Koepka and Reed could make things even tougher for LIV after leaving.
The ongoing debate over whether LIV harms player competitiveness hasn’t gone away. Only Koepka and DeChambeau have won majors since joining, and Rahm has struggled to impress in those big events.
In fact, Cameron Smith failed to make the cut in all four majors in 2025.
If either Koepka or Reed were to win a major in 2026, pressure would mount on DeChambeau and Rahm to consider moving on as well. And that pressure might become impossible to ignore.
More departures could spell big trouble for LIV
DeChambeau has enjoyed plenty of success since making the switch, recording six top-10 finishes in his last eight majors. Still, if he can’t keep up that level of play through the final year of his contract, it could spell more trouble for LIV.
When Rahm left the PGA Tour, he was considered one of the best players in the world and seemed set for a fantastic rivalry with Scottie Scheffler.
Scheffler has gone on to reach new heights, while Rahm’s achievements on LIV still leave many questions about what they really mean in the wider golf landscape.
If Koepka or Reed manage to add another major title in 2026 – which would bring their combined total to seven – it could give LIV players even more reason to reconsider their choices.
Some might decide that large signing bonuses and talk of ‘growing the game’ aren’t what truly matter to them after all.
