Patrick Reed stunned by LIV Golf’s new reality at PGA

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. — Patrick Reed bought “antsy.” He’s a golfer who’s hooked on match play. He performs wherever and at any time when he can.

But he arrived atthis week’s PGA Championship on the other aspect of that coin, having not performed since he tied for 12th last month at the Masters.

“It’s definitely weird,” Reed stated on Thursday after capturing two-under within the first spherical. “Yeah, this year is obviously a unique situation. With taking that time off since Augusta, it’s been just a lot of grinding and preparing. Really it’s kind of one of those that you finally feel like you can actually properly prepare.

“Even though I wasn’t playing tournament golf, I was kind of doing a lot of things and studying not only my golf game.”

That preparation included running through numerous sets of lob wedges and a three-day trip to Aronimink Golf Club, where he played in howling wind, giving him a sense of what he’d faced this week outside of Philadelphia. Reed said he lost numerous balls in Aronimink’s thick rough during his scouting trip but felt it sharpened him enough to stave off any competitive rust that might accumulate during his month away. The only other time Reed didn’t play for numerous weeks prior to a major was during the Covid season, when there was a multi-week gap between the Zozo Championship and November Masters.

While Reed got the itch to play tournament golf during his downtime, he calmed that down by grinding early and then spending time with his kids once they were done with school. After leaving LIV Golf in January, Reed has played exclusively on the DP World Tour as he works to earn his PGA Tour card for the 2027 season. Reed won in Dubai and Qatar, making him a virtual lock to earn one of the 10 cards given to non-exempt DP World Tour members. When his team looked at the DP World Tour schedule, they realized it was best for Reed not to play between the Masters and the PGA. He will also not play between the PGA and US Open before kicking it back into gear for the DP World Tour’s home stretch.

Despite his un-Reed-like major prep, the 2017 Masters champion was sharp on Thursday at Aronimink. He led the field with greens in regulation (88.9 percent) and made two birdies to no bogeys. He’s one off the first-round lead shared by several players, including Scottie Scheffler.

“This year’s a little different,” Reed said. “Honestly, I loved my time at dwelling. I really loved attending to grind, to organize, and work on issues and prepare for this week. Hopefully, I can proceed the stable play and get myself up there and have an opportunity late Sunday. Who is aware of, it may be a new factor.”

Reed’s main prep is not the one factor completely different concerning the present state {of professional} golf. Things have been transferring quick as Golf’s civil struggle seems to be approaching a conclusion.

Since Reed left Augusta National, his former tour has been rocked by information that the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund will be withdrawing funding for LIV Golf after the season. That information has left LIV dealing with an unsure future as CEO Scott O’Neil tries to secure funding for the 2027 season.

“I had no idea that was going to come about,” Reed stated. “For me really, it’s kind of just, you know, hope the guys continue playing some solid golf and get their opportunities. Whatever their future is, whether it’s on DP Tour, try to get back to PGA Tour or wherever they’re playing, hopefully continue to play solid golf and go out there and do what they do.”

Before his win in Dubai, Reed and his group had been negotiating for a new contract with LIV. Four days later, he gained the match and determined that his time on the Saudi-backed league was over. I needed to return to the PGA Tour, to get those competitive juices flowing and be within the previous sand once more.

The thought that the PIF would possibly pull funding didn’t issue into Reed’s choice. It simply wasn’t what his coronary heart needed anymore.

“None whatsoever,” Reed instructed GOLF, Sports Illustrated and Golf Channel when requested if the worry of the PIF pulling funding made him wish to go away. “No. That was strictly just how I felt on the golf course when I was in Dubai. Want to get that feeling back, going out there and playing, having those ups and downs and that traditional type of golf where you’re the last man standing on the range. It had nothing to do with that. I was absolutely surprised.”

Reed hopes all of it works out for the blokes who stay on LIV. But that is in his previous. He’s navigating and thriving in his new reality, one that would very effectively see a second main materialize on the weekend in Philadelphia.