LIV Golf’s woes don’t end with Brooks Koepka’s exit. This week, Patrick Reed added another layer of trouble to the league.
There are signs LIV Golf can stabilize after Koepka’s move. Cameron Smith, Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau have all made it clear they are not interested in returning to the PGA Tour under new offers.
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But then Patrick Reed made his decision. He rejected a new contract offer from LIV and announced Wednesday his intention to rejoin the PGA Tour.
During the hiatus, he will compete on the DP World Tour for most of the season.
Brooks Koepka, Patrick Reed Might Not Be Done with LIV Yet
Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images
LIV are unlikely to lose any more players before the new season starts in Riyadh next week.
But with DeChambeau’s contract set to expire at the end of this year, there will be a lot of interest in how things play out over the next 12 months.
The departures of Koepka and Reed could still make LIV’s situation even more difficult.
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The ongoing debate over whether LIV harms player competitiveness has not gone away. Only Koepka and DeChambeau have won a major since joining, and Rahm has struggled to impress in these major events.
In fact, Cameron Smith failed to qualify for all four majors in 2025.
If Koepka or Reed wins a major in 2026, there will also be more pressure on DeChambeau and Rahm to consider moving on. This pressure may become impossible to ignore.
More flights leaving could spell big trouble for LIV
DeChambeau has had tremendous success since switching careers, finishing in the top 10 six times in his last eight majors. Still, if he can’t maintain this level of play in the final year of his contract, it could spell more trouble for LIV.
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When Rahm left the PGA Tour, he was considered one of the best players in the world and seemed poised for a good rivalry with Scottie Scheffler.
Scheffler has reached new heights, while Rahm’s achievements at LIV still leave many questions about what they really mean in the wider world of golf.
If Koepka or Reed can add another major title in 2026 – which would bring their total to seven – it could give LIV players more reason to reconsider their options.
Some may argue that huge signing bonuses and talk of “developing the game” don’t really matter to them.