There's been a fair bit of movement in the LIV Golf roster for the 2026 season, but how have those players that left got on?

We're at the halfway point of the year and there's been differing fortunes for those players that were either relegated, dropped or left by their own accord.

Headlined of course by Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed's high-profile departures, but with several other stars relegated from LIV Golf after the 2025 season ended.

But what's life been like since they left LIV Golf?

Brooks Koepka

Brooks Koepka paid a hefty price to leave LIV Golf and return to the PGA Tour, and on the course it's not been an easy transition.

The five-time Major champion claims the move has seen him fall back in love with golf, and insists he loves the grind on the PGA Tour.

He's missed out on the Signature Events but has had some decent results - coming T9 at the Cognizant Classic and T12 at The Masters.

Overall he's made eight cuts from 11 events played, with six finishes of 18th or better and one top 10.

His game has generally been pretty good, with his iron play ranking third best on the PGA Tour and only his big putting woes holding him back.

A recent putter switch may have unlocked something on the greens though so all-in-all he'll be happy enough with his return so far.

Patrick Reed

Patrick Reed wasn't afforded the same Returning Member Program benefit as Koepka so isn't eligible to play on the PGA Tour until August.

But he's not let that stop him from having by any measure a fine season so far though, when combining the DP World Tour with the Majors.

Reed was on an amazing heater out in the Middle East, winning the Dubai Desert Classic and Qatar Masters either side of losing a play-off for the Bahrain Championship.

And he's been a constant threat in the Majors too, with a T12 finish at The Masters followed up by a T10 at the PGA Championship.

Reed's just a top player wherever he tees it up.

Henrik Stenson

One of the biggest names to get relegated from LIV Golf, the Majesticks co-captain and one-time prospective Ryder Cup captain Henrik Stenson dropped out of the league in 2025.

The Swede had a lengthy break from golf, but after turning 50 in April he made his return at the Senior PGA Championship - finishing T47.

Stenson then finished T20 at the Barbados Legends event hosted by Ian Woosnam on the Staysure Legends Tour and plans to be much busier in the summer.

The Senior US Open, the Open Championship and the Senior Open are all on Stenson's schedule and he may even make an appearance or two on the DP World Tour now he has membership status back.

Kevin Na

Kevin Na left LIV Golf in January as his Iron Heads GC was rebranded to form Korean GC.

He started his post-LIV career with a T19 at the New Zealand Open on the Asian Tour, before missing the cut at the ISPS Handa Japan-Australasia Championship - which is co-sanctioned by the Japan Golf Tour and the PGA Tour of Australasia.

Na then stepped up a level to make his first DP World Tour appearance in five years at the Volvo China Open - finishing T60.

He'll follow that with a fourth post-LIV event at the upcoming Austrian Alpine Open this week in what has been a relatively low-key year so far.

Matt Jones

Matt Jones was dropped by Rippers GC after finishing 40th in 2025, with Cam Smith deciding to make the switch as Elvis Smylie was brought in.

The veteran didn't make it back through the LIV Golf Promotions event but did finish eighth to receive an exemption for the Asian Tour's International Series.

He's played in just one event so far - missing the cut at the Singapore Open at Sentosa Golf Club.

Mito Pereira

The most shocking move following LIV Golf came when Mito Pereira announced his retirement from golf aged just 30.

The Chilean was just one good swing away from winning the PGA Championship in 2022 when his wayward drive at the 72nd hole cost him a double bogey and the Wanamaker Trophy.

Just over three years later and still in the prime of his career Pereira announced he was hanging up his clubs after his relegation from LIV Golf.

Andy Ogletree

Former US Amateur champion Andy Ogletree has been campaigning on the Asian Tour after his LIV Golf relegation.

He's played four times, missed the cut twice and finished T12 twice to sit in 25th on the Asian Tour's Order of Merit.

The T12 finishes came in his first two events of the year, the International Series Japan and Singapre Open.

He's missed the cuts in his last two events, both in Korea, at the Maekyung Open and Kolon Korea Open.

Yubin Jang

Yubin Jang lasted just one season on LIV Golf before being relegated immediately after a poor debut campaign.

He's been playing a combination of the Korean PGA Tour and Asian Tour so far with seven events under his belt.

He finished T19 at the International Series Japan, T44 on the Maekyung Open and T23 at the Korea Open.

The closest he's come to winning has been his runner-up spot at the Woori Financial Group Championship.

Chieh-Po Lee

Chieh-po Lee played his way into LIV Golf as he won the 2024 LIV Golf Promotions tournament, but the Taiwanese pro couldn't make it stick and was relegated.

He's been active playing on the Korean and Taiwan PGA Tours as well as the Asian Tour - with a best finish of fifth at the Chang Wah Open from his seven starts in 2026.

Jinichiro Kozuma

Jinichiro Kozuma was unhappy to say the least when he was released following the Iron Heads' big rebrand into Korean GC.

Kozuma has returned to the Japan Golf Tour along with some Asian Tour starts in his eight tournaments of 2026.

His best so far is a T5 at the Maezawa Cup and his worst finish is T44 after making the cut in all eight tournaments.

Frederik Kjettrup

A college star who turned pro in 2024 and quickly piled up three wins on the PGA Tour Americas, Frederik Kjettrup opted to join LIV Golf rather than take up his Korn Ferry Tour status.

He signed for Martin Kaymer's Cleeks but struggled and failed to win a single point as he was relegated after his debut season.

Instead of playing the Korn Ferry Tour and challenging for PGA Tour status, the Dane is now plying his trade on the Asian Tour.

Kjettrup has missed two cuts from three appearances with a T17 at the Singapore Open his best finish so far.

As he prepares to return to Augusta National this week, Patrick Reed has announced a new hat sponsor.

Reed has often enjoyed himself at the iconic course. Amid the chaos of Rory McIlroy's victory there last year, it's easy to forget that Reed came third.

And, of course, he has a Green Jacket of his own, after his 2018 triumph at The Masters, winning by one stroke ahead of Rickie Fowler.

Since then, he has joined the LIV Golf League and left again, and now, Reed is going for glory in the Race to Dubai with some top performances on the DP World Tour.

He may not be eligible for PGA Tour events just yet, but Reed is gearing up for The Masters and he'll be sporting a fresh new look in Georgia this week.

Taking to Instagram, Reed announced he is now a brand ambassador for private aviation company VistaJet.

In his post, Reed wrote: "Ahead of one of the greatest weeks of the year in Augusta, I am so proud to partner with VistaJet as a Brand Ambassador.

"As a professional golfer who has played on four tours in my career, I have been fortunate to travel and see the world playing the sport I love — testing my game in some of the harshest conditions and most beautiful places.

"VistaJet is the most incredible private aviation company I have had the pleasure to fly with. The experience on board helps us relax, enjoy ourselves, and ensure that, when we land, I’m totally focused on golf."

The 35-year-old will debut the VistaJet branded hats at Augusta National this week and is set to continue to wear them through the rest of this season.

Reed follows in the footsteps of Tommy Fleetwood, who announced a new collaboration recently.

The Englishman had been causing waves by picking up club shop merchandise at events this season, but he's now signed with investment management company Blackstone as his hat sponsor.

On that deal, Fleetwood said: "Consistency, trust and striving to improve every day are just some of the values that I know we share and that make this partnership truly special.

"I am excited to join a powerhouse in global finance, that operates at the highest level and look forward to our story."

After just five events on the DP World Tour, we may already be looking at the eventual Race to Dubai winner as Patrick Reed flies out of the stocks this season.

Obviously, there's still a long way to go, but as we saw last season when Rory McIlroy stormed to his seventh Race to Dubai title, it's very hard for others to catch up once a golfer hits their stride on the DP World Tour.

Once the Joburg Open is wrapped up this weekend, there will still be 28 events to play before the play-offs in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

But, even wins at the Majors might not be enough for McIlroy and co. to catch up with Patrick Reed at this point.

Patrick Reed's record in DP World Tour events for 2026

So far this season, Reed has won two events on the DP World Tour.

He triumphed at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic back at the end of January, with a final score of 14-under to win by four. That victory earned him a whopping 1,333 points in the Race to Dubai standings.

Two weeks later, Reed won the Qatar Masters at 16-under. There were fewer points on offer there, though, with just 585 being added to his tally. While there, Reed also bagged a $200,000 bonus, which makes the win even sweeter.

However, a T2 finish at the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship after a playoff defeat to eventual winner Freddy Schott earned Reed a further 304 points.

Elsewhere, he's placed 26th at the Dubai Invitational and tied 29th at the South African Open. Those two events earned him just over 58 points.

As per the Race to Dubai rankings right now, Reed is way out in front with 2,282.92 points. His nearest competitor, Jayden Schaper, is on 1,831.63 points.

How many points have the past 5 Race to Dubai winners had?

In 2025, Rory McIlroy took the Race to Dubai title despite the best efforts of Marco Penge.

McIlroy ended the year on 5,975.06 points, while Penge came in second with 4,008.04 points.

The problem was, McIlroy played considerably less events than Penge and still managed to trump the up-and-comer. That was largely down to his monumental win at The Masters, which gave the Northern Irishman 1,665 points.

McIlroy won again in 2024, by an even bigger margin. His huge haul of 6,997.66 points put him way ahead of Rasmus Højgaard, who racked up 4,019.05 points. McIlroy's win at the Dubai Desert Classic was his big-earner that year, bringing in 1,335 points.

The deficit was a lot smaller in 2023, though, with McIlroy only besting the other Højgaard, Nicolai, by a margin of 1,311 points. Again, the Dubai Desert Classic served McIlroy well, while the win at the Genesis Scottish Open sealed the championship for him.

Ryan Fox came even closer to taking the top spot in 2022, with 4,173.56 points compared to McIlroy's haul of 4.754.10 points. Coming second at The Masters, a tournament that's heavily weighted when it comes to Race to Dubai points, made all the difference here, with McIlroy taking 1,113 points at Augusta.

You have to go back to 2021 for the last time McIlroy didn't win the Race to Dubai. Collin Morikawa trumped everyone that year, with a total of 5,856.38 points. Winning The Open bagged him a massive 1,665 points while a win at the WGC-Workday Championship was worth 1,335.

Can anyone really catch Patrick Reed?

As you can see from the past few years, it would be a big ask for anyone to get past Patrick Reed now.

The thing is, Reed is likely to play a lot more events than many of the top players on the DP World Tour. Given the form he's in, he's well-placed to win some more, too.

By simply competing week in, week out, and hoping the tour wins are spread out among a variety of different golfers, Reed should be able to maintain his lead for the foreseeable.

Even if someone like McIlroy, who is currently on just 269.20 points, were to win the Masters again, he would still be trailing Reed.

However, if McIlroy were to double up on Majors, we'd have a real contest on our hands.

The simple answer is 'yes', Reed can be caught and has not wrapped up the R2D title just yet but he has built up a strong head-start and it is going to take some very good golf to overthrow him.

What Patrick Reed needs to do to secure PGA Tour card

We know Patrick Reed is keen to reclaim his PGA Tour card, and success on the DP World Tour is the way to get there.

There is no exact total of points that will secure that for Reed, but placing in the top 10 in the Race to Dubai standings would guarantee a PGA Tour card for next season.

Based on past seasons, a total of around 2,620 points would usually be enough to place in the top 10. Reed is not far off that tally already, so barring a disaster, it's very likely he will make it.

The only other criteria is that a player must play four DP World Tour events, which he has already done.

They must also participate in the DP World Tour Championship at the end of the season. Based on last year's top 50 cut-off, which was around 1,118 points, Reed is already comfortably in.

It would be fair to say that Patrick Reed has made one heck of a start to 2026 on the golf course.

He opened up with a decent 26th-place finish at the Dubai Invitational before going on to win the Dubai Desert Classic at a canter just days later.

The following week, Reed ended T2nd at the Bahrain Championship before claiming his second victory in three starts at the Qatar Masters.

Between his triumph in Dubai and the play-off defeat in Bahrain, Reed's life changed quite a bit, too. The 2018 Masters champion resigned from the LIV Golf League and opted to make the most of his lifetime membership on the DP World Tour.

Doing so proved to be a very good call in both the short term and long term, with Reed flexing his trophy-lifting muscles in earnest and setting himself up for a likely return to the PGA Tour come September.

And because of his hot start to the campaign, the 35-year-old has already been crowned the DP World Tour's International Swing champion.

The International Swing includes seven events - four in the Middle East, one in Kenya and two in South African, which are still to come.

Four of the first five tournaments offered up 585 Race To Dubai points for its victor from a pot of 3,500 while the Dubai Desert Classic handed out 1,355 from a total of 8,000 due to its status as a Rolex Series event.

As a result, Reed's total through just four events equals 2,259.70 - an extraordinary 1,025 points more than the man in second, Jayden Schaper.

With a maximum of 1,000 points to be won in the pair of upcoming South African tournaments, the Texan has already banked the $200,000 bonus for topping the standings.

Reed is due to tee it up at the South African Open Championship this week as well, so his earnings could grow further once all is said and done.

To this point in 2026, Reed has already collected an impressive $2,263,691, with the recent bonus taking that figure close to $2.5 million.

He has also risen into the world's top-20 for the first time in five years and has qualified for the DP World Tour's Back 9 sequence, which begins with the British Masters in late August and ends with the Genesis Championship in South Korea in late October.

Each of those tournaments will offer up at least $3.25 million in prize money and includes the prestigious BMW PGA Championship with a total payout of $9 million.

It is not known how many of them Reed will play, however, given he has previously stated his intent to return Stateside as soon as possible and a PGA Tour card - via the DP World Tour's 10 Cards Initiative - appears wrapped up already.

The former LIV golfer last played on the PIF-backed circuit in August 2025, so the end of his 12-month ban will arrive at around the time that the DP World Tour's Back 9 and the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup Fall begins.

Before that happens, though, Reed has an excellent chance to claim the Race To Dubai trophy as well. The American has a gap of almost 2,000 points to Rory McIlroy and that gap is only likely to grow before the Northern Irishman next competes in a DP World Tour event.

Therefore, even if McIlroy defended his Masters title, Reed would remain in the box seat for a maiden Harry Vardon Trophy on the European circuit.

Patrick Reed has added another DP World Tour event to his schedule after putting his name down for the Joburg Open.

The 2018 Masters champion, who left LIV Golf in January, has won twice already this year on the DP World Tour in Dubai and Qatar.

Reed will play in the South African Open at Stellenbosch starting 26 February, and has decided to hang around in the country the following week and head to Houghton GC in Johannesburg.

It will be a debut for Reed at the Joburg Open, and means that he'll tee it up in six out of seven events that make up the International Swing section of the DP World Tour schedule.

The World No.18 is looking forward to making the most of his first tournament appearances in South Africa - as he lines up in the co-sanctioned Sunshine Tour event.

“The Sunshine Tour has been so supportive for my first trip to South Africa," said Reed.

"I’m looking forward to meeting everyone in person and teeing it up against the guys in the 2026 Joburg Open.

"I’ve heard great things about the Houghton Golf Club course, and I know it will be an exciting tournament start to finish."

Reed is the current leader of the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai Rankings after his brilliant start to the campaign with those two victories along with a second place after a playoff.

There's a $200,000 bonus for the winner of the International Swing, which Reed is well in contention for, while at the upcoming South Arican Open there's a guaranteed spot in the Open Championship up for grabs.

Reed's rise up the Official World Golf Ranking is good news for his Major chances this year and will make it a much smoother qualification process for him if he hangs around the top 20.

He's also got a pretty healthy lead in the early Race To Dubai rankings as with 2,259.70 points he's 450 in front while he's already around 2,000 points ahead of defending champion Rory McIlroy.

Winning the Race To Dubai is now his big target as he's already well placed to claim one of the 10 PGA Tour cards available from the DP World Tour - with more points in the bank already than three of those players who won a card last season.

The in-form Patrick Reed will continue his DP World Tour campaign by making his debut at the Investec South African Open Championship.

Stellenbosch Golf Club will play host to the second oldest national open in world golf from 26 February to 1 March, an event that's co-sanctioned with the Sunshine Tour.

Reed, who left LIV Golf in January, has been in stunning form this year on the DP World Tour - with two wins and a second in three tournaments seeing him lead the Race To Dubai.

The former Masters champion started his DP World Tour campaign eyeing one of the 10 cards available to return to the PGA Tour - but after his stellar start he now has the Race To Dubai title firmly in his sights.

It will be a first trip to South Africa for Reed, who is looking to become the first American to win the South African Open since Fred Wadsworth in 1989.

“I’m really excited to make my first trip to South Africa. I have many friends from South Africa and I look forward to competing in their home country on the DP World Tour and in conjunction with the Sunshine Tour,” said Reed.

Reed made the surprise decision to leave LIV Golf shortly after winning the Dubai Desert Classic - and decided to concentrate on the DP World Tour while he waits to become eligiblle for a PGA Tour return.

His form in the Middle East was brilliant, following victory in Dubai with play-off defeat at the Bahrain Championship and then another title win at the Qatar Masters.

Reed has now risen up to World No.17 in the Official Golf World Ranking, a position that will help him get into the three other Majors this year, with the Green Jacket winner obviously set for life at The Masters.

But there is also a safety net available at the South African Open with the top three finishes not already exempt getting guaranteed spots in the 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in July.

Defending champion Dylan Naidoo will be in the field trying to go back-to-back, while the likes of Ernie Els and Charl Schwartzel will headline the home challenge along with Branden Grace, Dean Burmester and Thriston Lawrence.

Patrick Reed has added his name to next week's Qatar Masters field to make it four consecutive DP World Tour starts to begin his 2026.

The 2018 Masters champion confirmed his LIV Golf exit this week in order to pursue a PGA Tour return, which will officially come in 2027 via a past champion category or an improved DP World Tour route by earning one of the European circuit's ten cards.

Reed, whose 12-month PGA Tour suspension expires at the end of August, will play at Doha Golf Club in the Qatar Masters following starts at the Dubai Invitational, Dubai Desert Classic and Bahrain Championship.

The nine-time PGA Tour winner, who won his first regular DP World Tour title at the Desert Classic last week at Emirates GC, currently sits 2nd in the Race to Dubai rankings and could make real progress towards full PGA Tour status over the next two weeks.

The Texan already has 1,370 Race to Dubai points, with last year's tenth-place finisher on the ten cards initiative earning 2,203. That means he could already be over halfway to the tally of points he needs.

Strong showings in Bahrain and Qatar would take him even closer, while he will likely play more over the coming months in preparation for The Masters.

Between Qatar and Augusta, the events he has to choose from are the Magical Kenya Open, South African Open, Joburg Open, Hainan Classic and Hero Indian Open.

Reed earning one of the ten PGA Tour cards seems inevitable, as he is the highest ranked player competing full-time on the DP World Tour this season.

The European circuit stars like Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Shane Lowry, Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton all play between four to six events on the tour so Reed will have his eyes set on the Race to Dubai title with the prospect of a PGA Tour card seemingly inevitable.

Harris English was surprised at how quickly Patrick Reed joined Brooks Koepka in leaving LIV Golf, but feels it could be a growing trend.

English says "the dominoes are starting to fall" as he believes players out on LIV Golf "are not that happy out there and the grass is not greener on the other side."

There had been rumblings before Koepka officially left LIV Golf, but Reed had seemingly been set for a new deal before he too revealed he wanted to return to the PGA Tour.

And with now the likes of Pat Perez, Kevin Na and Hudson Swafford reportedly looking to return to the PGA Tour, English believes it's the start of a trend.

"I just saw the Patrick news when I was working out in the trailer this morning, I saw it pop up," English said ahead of the Farmers Insurance Open. "I didn’t do Twitter or anything in the morning.

"I kind of knew the Brooks thing was coming by some of his comments. I didn’t know it was going to happen this quickly.

"But as you’re seeing, kind of the dominoes are starting to fall of maybe those guys on the LIV Tour are not that happy out there and the grass is not greener on the other side."

Koepka cited being closer to his family as a big reason for the switch, as did Reed when annoucing his decision after failing to agree a new contract with LIV Golf.

English believes that players are, and will be, returning to a "stronger" PGA Tour for increased competition - as he believes it's the biggest tour to be playing on.

"They’re seeing the PGA Tour getting stronger and having more success, and kind of seeing that money’s not the end all, be all," English added "Like that doesn’t fulfill them. It doesn’t fulfill me.

"They’re still competitors, they’re competitive people and they love playing in the biggest events against the best players in the world. For me, that’s out here on the PGA Tour and I think they’re starting to realize that, that that’s what fulfills them."

Returning players will find a different look to the PGA Tour in future, with new boss Brian Rolapp seemingly moving towards a shorter schedule with more meaning on each event.

It's a switch English himself broke news of with his comments on a post-Super Bowl season start and fewer main events on the calendar.

Although that does seem to be the case, English says he doesn't know the full details despite recently returning to the Player Advisory Council.

"I was pretty shocked how that news broke because, I mean, I was coming at it like what I thought the Tour was going to go towards, and they're still in the process of that," English said of hitting the headlines with his thoughts on a new schedule.

"I don't really know any more details of when it's going to happen, what's going to happen. I just got on the Player Advisory Council for this year. I hadn't been on it in 12 or 13 years, so it's nice to kind of be back in the room and hearing some stuff going on.

"I've got some friends that are on the board, but I know they're working really hard. They're looking at it from all angles of how can we make this tour better, how do we evolve, how do we make it better for the players, how do we make it better for the fans, the media deals. I mean, there's so many different things they're looking at."

English will fight to keep Torrey Pines event

A shorter schedule, and lack of sponsor, could put this week's tournament at Torrey Pines in danger, something English will fight against.

"I would hate for it to go away. This is one of the cornerstone events on the PGA Tour," said the defending champion.

"I'll do anything as a PGA TOUR member, a past champion to help find a sponsor to help keep this tournament here at Torrey Pines because you have a lot of guys that feel the same way I do that love this place.

"Such an iconic place here at Torrey. It would be a shame for us to lose this event. I'll do anything in my power to help keep it here."

Patrick Reed has confirmed he is leaving LIV Golf with immediate effect ahead of the new season starting next week in order to pursue a return to the PGA Tour.

The 2018 Masters champion said he is a "traditionalist at heart" and was "born to play on the PGA Tour" in a statement after revealing this weekend following his Dubai Desert Classic win that he had not yet signed a new LIV deal.

So, what next for Reed and when will he be able to return to the PGA Tour?

Unlike Brooks Koepka, Reed is not allowed an immediate return via the Returning Member Program due to not fulfilling the criteria of winning a Major or The Players Championship between 2022-2025.

Instead, he will be forced to sit out a 12-month suspension, dating back to his last LIV Golf appearance in late August.

He will be able to play as a member in 2027 via a past champion category, having won nine times on the circuit - although he could improve that this year and earn full status on the DP World Tour.

What could Reed's 2026 schedule look like?

It means Reed will be eligible to play in PGA Tour events from August 26th, which is a key date for a couple of reasons.

The end of August date ensures he will be eligible for the US Presidents Cup team for Medinah as a captain's pick, which is a PGA Tour-organized competition where the Americans face off against the International side.

The man known as 'Captain America' has missed the last three Ryder Cups and the last two Presidents Cups.

Reed will also be eligible to play in PGA Tour FedEx Cup Fall tournaments via sponsor's invitations, which he is surely almost guaranteed to get. He will also be eligible to Monday qualify his way in, but that will likely not be needed.

His presence as a returning PGA Tour player would help add more intrigue to the events that usually suffer with fan interest due to weaker fields following the regular season.

The first FedEx Cup Fall tournament isn't until September 17th at the Biltmore Championship, which is the same week as the BMW PGA Championship on the DP World Tour. He'll likely play the Wentworth event, which is a week before the Presidents Cup.

There are seven PGA Tour events in October and November, although the DP World Tour Play-Offs are in November, too, so in all likelihood he will only play a couple of fall events in the US before his full PGA Tour return in January 2027.

In terms of what is in Reed's immediate future, he will be playing on the DP World Tour this season, and perhaps the Asian Tour too.

He is teeing it up in Bahrain this week and will add more tournaments on the European Tour as the year goes on.

"I will continue to compete and play as an honorary lifetime member on the DP World Tour, which is something that I am truly honored and excited to do," he said.

Reed will now be among the favorites to lift the Race to Dubai title and will likely earn full PGA Tour status via the Race to Dubai rankings, which offer ten cards to the US circuit for the top finishers.

He is up to 2nd in the Race to Dubai rankings following his Dubai Desert Classic victory and will be the top-ranked player on the circuit who is playing a full season, with the likes of Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton usually only playing four or five tournaments.

What next for LIV Golf after Patrick Reed's exit?

It's another major blow to LIV Golf, which has lost five-time Major champion Brooks Koepka and now 2018 Masters champion Reed this winter.

Kevin Na has also departed - and he's trying to rejoin the PGA Tour - while Henrik Stenson was another big name to go via relegation.

Reed leaves an open spot on Dustin Johnson's 4Aces GC roster, meaning the league is now having to scramble for a fourth player on the team with just seven days to go until the start of the new season in Riyadh.

The Texan's departure weakens LIV's field, unless they sign a player of his calibre to replace him, and signals a continuing strength of the PGA Tour since its $1.5bn investment from the Sports Strategic Group and Brian Rolapp's appointment as CEO.

It seems, from the outside looking in, that some of LIV's big names could well be wishing they were on the PGA Tour train with the league still not able to offer world ranking points, Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup points or a route into The Masters and PGA Championship.

Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Smith have all said they will be staying amid the Returning Member Program offer, and multiple big names have renewed their contracts like Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood, so the league is not going anywhere yet - as I recently wrote.

But it's hard to argue that losing Koepka and Reed is anything but another huge blow for the PIF-funded tour, which continues to look more and more global amid a PGA Tour that is gaining momentum.

Patrick Reed has left LIV Golf to pursue a return to the PGA Tour, the 2018 Masters champion has confirmed.

Reed, who won the Dubai Desert Classic this weekend and revealed he hadn't yet signed a new LIV contract, has not been immediately reinstated to the PGA Tour as he does not qualify for the Returning Member Program - which was only available to Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith.

The nine-time PGA Tour winner will instead play on the DP World Tour this season and resume his PGA Tour membership in 2027 via the past champion category. He could earn full status via the DP World Tour ten cards initiative this year, also.

Reed will be eligible to play on the US circuit in late August via sponsor's invites once his 12-month suspension for playing in LIV Golf has ended, the PGA Tour confirmed.

In a lengthy statement announcing his plans, Reed said he was a "traditionalist at heart" and "was born to play on the PGA Tour."

It's another blow for LIV Golf, which lost five-time Major winner Brooks Koepka last month. Koepka is making his PGA Tour return at this week's Farmers Insurance Open, after agreeing to a number of sanctions.

"After careful thought and consideration, my family and I have decided that I will no longer compete on the LIV Golf tour," Reed announced in a statement.

"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.

"I will continue to compete and play as an honorary lifetime member on the DP World Tour, which is something that I am truly honored and excited to do.

"I’m a traditionalist at heart, and I was born to play on the PGA Tour, which is where my story began with my wife, Justine.

"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. I can’t wait to get back out there and revisit some of the best places on earth.

"I want to thank everyone involved for helping me make this decision. Over the last four years, I have learned a lot about myself, about who I am and who I am not, and for that I am forever grateful.

"To Dustin Johnson, the Aces, and LIV Golf, I want to thank you for the memories we shared and created together. To golf fans around the world, I just want to thank you all for your continued support over the years.

"I just ask that you respect the decision we have made for our family, our children and our future. Thank you for your continued support."

"Patrick Reed has informed the PGA Tour of his desire to return," the tour wrote in a statement.

"A nine-time PGA Tour winner, he is seeking reinstatement of his PGA Tour membership for the 2027 season, playing out of the past champion category.

"As a result of resigning his membership in 2022 prior to violating any PGA Tour Regulations, Patrick is eligible to compete on the PGA Tour as a non-member beginning on August 25, 2026. He may also pursue improved PGA Tour status via the DP World Tour.

"Similar to anyone reinstated under the Returning Member Program, any former PGA Tour member returning to the PGA Tour would be ineligible for participation in the Player Equity Program through 2030."

In response to Reed's departure, the LIV Golf League posted a statement via their social media channels.

"We were not able to come to terms with Patrick on a potential contract extension. We’re grateful for everything he contributed during his time on the 4Aces at LIV Golf and wish him the best.

"LIV has always been an advocate for player movement and recognizes 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—those who compete at the highest level, play the game the right way, and understand the responsibility to grow the game around the world by engaging fans and celebrating partners.

"We’re building the world’s golf league and every decision we make is guided by what’s best for the long-term future of the game, our players, and fans."

Rory McIlroy has suggested the balance of power in men's professional golf is shifting even further towards the PGA Tour again as Brooks Koepka prepares to make his second debut on the historic US circuit after agreeing to several restrictive terms.

After moving in 2022, Koepka cut his time with LIV Golf short by a season towards the very end of 2025 and has wasted little time in continuing with his extremely successful career on the PGA Tour, opting to compete at this week's Farmers Insurance Open.

The five-time Major champion will tee off alongside Ludvig Aberg and Max Homa in the first two rounds as ESPN broadcasts three hours of live PGA Tour action for the first time in almost 20 years.

But in order for the aforementioned appearance to have even happened in the first place, Koepka had to agree to the terms of the PGA Tour's Returning Member Program.

Among the restrictions - which Koepka called "harsh" - includes the fact he is ineligible for any part of the the Player Equity Program until 2030, he is not allowed to earn any FedEx Cup bonus money and he has been required to make a $5 million charitable donation to a recipient of his and the PGA Tour's choice.

Speaking after Boston Common's 9-1 thrashing of The Bay in TGL on Monday night, McIlroy stated his fellow five-time Major winner would never have agreed to those terms if he wasn't absolutely committed to returning to "the highest level."

Asked what Koepka's return means to the PGA Tour, McIlroy said: “Yeah, I think it says more about Brooks than anything else.

"He obviously is a very competitive person and wants to compete at the highest level. I think he made the decision that he thought competing at the highest level meant coming back to the PGA Tour."

Although Koepka is the only player to have officially made his return from LIV, Patrick Reed has twice suggested he would be open to coming back over to the PGA Tour during the past week or so.

Ahead of the Dubai Desert Classic, the 2018 Masters champion admitted he would consider a return if offered the same terms as Koepka - terms which only apply to Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith currently.

Reed then shared he was technically still a free agent due to having yet to sign a new LIV Golf contract before going on to admit that if he didn't play LIV then he would compete on the DP World Tour and earn his PGA Tour status back by trying to finish in the Race To Dubai's leading 10 non-exempt pros.

Continuing on, McIlroy said he believes Reed - and potentially others - having their head turned shows where the PGA Tour stands compared to its PIF-backed rival.

McIlroy said: "You've seen others say this recently. Patrick Reed said it in Dubai last week.

"It seems like some of those guys are maybe starting to realise that they're not getting everything that they wanted out of going over there, and that's obviously a great thing for the PGA Tour.”

'Inside The Ropes' is the chance for Golf Monthly's tour experts to share their honest opinions on the biggest subjects in the game. This week, it's all about Patrick Reed.

Where will Patrick Reed play the majority of his golf in 2026? Will it be LIV - where he has been since 2022 - or will Captain America return to the historic circuit based out of TPC Sawgrass?

Could he, perhaps, even ply his trade on the DP World Tour with a view to re-joining the PGA Tour in 2027 through the Race To Dubai rankings?

In all likelihood, based on Reed's own words, the 2018 Masters champion will probably sign a new contract with LIV and play for the 4Aces once more.

However, said contract remains free of the 35-year-old's signature and some of his comments in recent days have only served to muddy the water in relation to what he might do.

Sparked by Brooks Koepka's move back to the PGA Tour, Reed was asked by Golf Digest's Evin Priest and The Telegraph's James Corrigan prior to the Dubai Desert Classic whether he would, hypothetically, consider making a return to the PGA Tour one day if offered the same terms as his former Ryder Cup teammate.

Reed confirmed he would - saying "of course" - and went on to call the PGA Tour the "best in the world."

He said: "I always enjoyed my time out there on the PGA Tour. Let's be honest, out there, it's the best tour in the world. Look at what they've done in golf. I could see myself playing there at some point again. But right now, you just never know; everything's so fluid.”

Then, in his winner's press conference at Emirates Golf Club, Reed shared that he was technically a free agent as it stands but predicted he was more than likely to be in the field for LIV Golf Riyadh on February 4.

Asked if he may have played his final LIV event last season, Reed replied: "Not that I know of. Not right now. 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."

Although the 12-time pro winner briefly calmed any gossip around his future, Reed later went on to comprehensively outline his hypothetical plans if he left LIV Golf, suggesting he has given the idea more than a brief moment's thought.

He said: "Yeah, I mean, if I ended up not playing on LIV this year, obviously it would be one of those things that I would be out here playing more on [the DP World Tour] and trying to secure one of those spots in the Top 10, and allow myself to get back on the PGA Tour."

So what will Reed do in 2026 and beyond? And, to that end, should the PGA Tour drop the drawbridge to allow him back on a similar basis to Koepka? Let us know your thoughts in the comments box below this article. Meanwhile, four of our tour experts have had their say.

If I were Patrick Reed, I'd be actively pursuing a return to the PGA Tour. He revealed after his win in Dubai that he still hasn't signed his LIV Golf contract for the 2026 season, which means he's technically a free agent.

He sounded receptive to the idea of a PGA Tour return just last week and I'd be surprised if Brian Rolapp didn't want him, given he's a past Major winner, a very good player and, importantly in this era of identikit (some would say boring) golfers, a bit of a pantomime villain.

Reed has already made a huge amount of money from LIV, but that doesn't seem to be what motivates him. He plays all around the world – he competed on LIV, the Asian Tour and the DP World Tour last year – and clearly loves competing.

Now seems the right time for a return to the PGA Tour, especially given there's precedent. However, it remains to be seen what terms, if any, would be offered by the PGA Tour as Reed hasn't won a Major in the last five years.

If he's welcomed back, it would potentially open the door to several other LIV players in Reed's tier, which could cause some issues, including upsetting the PGA Tour membership.

I wrote last week, when we were discussing whether the PGA Tour should tweak its Returning Member Program to lure more LIV golfers back, that there were 10 or fewer players on the PIF-backed circuit that who most people would actively like to see come back.

In my eyes, one of those is Patrick Reed. Love him or loathe him, Captain America stirs the emotions in golf fans and increases the value of any field he is in given his past record and victory at The Masters in 2018.

From the PGA Tour's point of view, I think it would be extremely prudent for it to strike while the iron is hot. And until Reed scribbles his signature on that new LIV Golf contract, he is up for grabs.

I feel it would be a really good move if the PGA Tour could follow up the signing of Brooks Koepka by bringing as many of that aforementioned top-10 back from LIV as it can. Plus, now that one has gone, perhaps it's only a matter of time until more follow.

As far as Reed goes, I can't help but feel he wouldn't be making all of this noise about contracts and potential future plans if he wasn't at least seriously considering it or - at most - actively pursuing it.

Reed's actions appear to signal a 'come and get me' plea to the PGA Tour, which could benefit the DP World Tour as well if he opts to play there all season before earning one of the 10 dual status cards in November.

Either way, it doesn't seem like Reed is 100% committed to the LIV Golf League, and that would concern me if I was on the team-golf circuit's side of the fence...

Patrick Reed has clearly been seriously considering his options given the fact he has not yet renewed his deal with LIV Golf.

I think Reed is worthy of the PGA Tour rewriting its Returning Member Program and get him back instantly given he is a Masters champion and just won the Dubai Desert Classic, and Brian Rolapp could well be working on that behind the scenes right now - although I am doubtful.

Reed is clearly a world class player and the fact he is ranked 29th in the world while playing on LIV Golf shows that. I think he should leave LIV, play a year on the DP World Tour, try and win the Race to Dubai and earn his PGA Tour status back for 2027.

He has a young family so surely would enjoy spending a bit more time in America, and he could still balance both the PGA Tour and DP World Tour. If Reed plays primarily in Europe this year, he will surely win another one or two tournaments and return to the PGA Tour as a hot property.

He can win out on the PGA Tour next year and return to the world’s top-10, play in all the Majors, The Players Championship and Signature Events and automatically qualify for the Ryder Cup team. He will still be earning shed loads of cash, get to spend more time playing on home soil and be recognized as one of the game’s best golfers.

Reed fell outside of the top-100 last year, failed to qualify for two Majors in 2024 and missed the 2023 and 2025 Ryder Cup teams due to, in the most part, playing on LIV Golf, and that surely didn’t sit too well with him. While a return to LIV seems inevitable, I certainly would not be surprised to see him go the other route.

We never know what goes on behind the scenes but, when it comes to what Patrick Reed should do, I think he should try and make his return to the PGA Tour - whether that's via earning his card on the DP World Tour, or by liaising with the PGA Tour's commissioner, Brian Rolapp.

Personally, I think Rolapp would want him back on the PGA Tour, given he's a big name and a character that will draw eye balls to the event. Therefore, I think the PGA Tour would benefit going after him, since he is playing some excellent golf.

What do I think will happen? Well, given that Reed is comfortably inside the top-50 of the World Rankings, and is set to play in DP World Tour and Asian Tour events, I can't seem him falling out of Major qualification (he's automatically qualified for The Masters thanks to his 2018 win).

Because of this, I think he will remain on LIV for now, especially as his 4Aces side are coming together nicely with the addition of Thomas Detry and captain Dustin Johnson signing on until 2029. This is despite Reed recently saying he'd "definitely" consider leaving LIV to return to the PGA Tour.

I think the best move would be to try and get back on the PGA Tour, but as Reed continues to play some great golf, he may well stay put where he is, given that his game doesn't seem to be as affected as some.

Patrick Reed's year was supposed to begin on the DP World Tour before switching back to the LIV Golf League from February when Riyadh hosts the first event of LIV's 2026 season.

That may well still happen, but nothing is guaranteed after the 2026 Dubai Desert Classic champion revealed he is yet to sign a new contract with the PIF-backed circuit despite 4Aces GC unveiling Reed as part of its four-man line-up.

Moments after cruising to the title at Emirates Golf Club, subsequently claiming his first standalone DP World Tour prize, Reed was picked up on his wording in response to an earlier answer about his plans for the rest of this year.

Having reportedly stated he was "supposed to be" teeing it up in Riyadh in a couple of weeks' time rather than stating he definitely would be, Reed was pushed on whether his original LIV contract had expired.

The 2018 Masters champion confirmed this was true but that he was quite far down the line in terms of agreeing fresh terms.

Reed said: "We're still finalizing the contract [for this year]. We're not complete on that yet."

In response, the reporter asking questions followed up by asking Reed if he is - by technicality - a free agent at this stage.

Reed said: "At the moment, yes, sir. 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.

"But really, the biggest thing for me right now is just go out and play well this week. Obviously got the win. Then hopefully carry that momentum into next week and hopefully compete late Sunday again."

Reed's surprising revelation is especially interesting given the fact he admitted before this week's Rolex Series event that he would consider a return to the PGA Tour if offered the same terms as Brooks Koepka was.

Speaking to Golf Digest's Evin Priest and The Telegraph's James Corrigan ahead of the Dubai Desert Classic, Reed was asked if - hypothetically - he would consider making a return to the PGA Tour one day.

Not only did he say "of course" - adding that he was "already playing on three tours so why not add one more?" but Reed admitted he thought the PGA Tour is the best in the world.

He said: “I always enjoyed my time out there on the PGA Tour. Let's be honest, out there, it's the best tour in the world. Look at what they've done in golf.

"I could see myself playing there at some point again. But right now, you just never know; everything's so fluid.”

Regardless of the pre-tournament quotes, Reed feels he is far more likely to play LIV Golf this term than not.

Asked if he had already played his final LIV event, Reed continued: "Not that I know of. Not right now. 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."

And what would his alternative options be if he had indeed finished with LIV for the time being?

Reed said: "Continue to play out here and be in the Top 10 and be on the PGA Tour next year. Good golf takes care of itself, right. It's always kind of been that way from day one.

"You know, if you're college, even before college, you play well in high school, that's what got you college scholarships. You play really well in college, that got you sponsors to hopefully playing on tour. And then you play well at Q-School and on tour and that gets you a card on the PGA Tour and so forth and so forth.

"Yeah, I mean, if I ended up not playing on LIV this year, obviously it would be one of those things that I would be out here playing more on this tour and trying to secure one of those spots in the Top 10, and allow myself to get back on the PGA Tour."

Wherever he ends up in 2026, Reed is confirmed as part of the DP World Tour's Bahrain Championship next week alongside the likes of Sergio Garcia and Laurie Canter.

'Inside The Ropes' is the chance for Golf Monthly's tour experts to share their honest opinions on the biggest subjects in the game. This week, it's about the PGA Tour's Returning Member Program.

When Brooks Koepka announced he was leaving the LIV Golf League in mid-December, the PGA Tour's board sprung into action.

Koepka met with PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp to discuss his future plans and, a matter of days later, a brand new creation called the Returning Member Program had been conjured up which allowed the five-time Major winner to regain his PGA Tour status - only with a few key caveats.

It was widely received as an excellent piece of business by Rolapp and the PGA Tour because they had ultimately secured the services of one of the game's biggest talents while upsetting as few members as possible.

From the historic US circuit's point of view, the Returning Member Program also acted as a huge piece of bait for some of the most impressive fish in their biggest rival's lake.

Due to the parameters involved, only Koepka, Jon Rahm, Cameron Smith and Bryson DeChambeau currently qualify to retake their respective places on the PGA Tour through the RMP.

However, each has strongly indicated they will be staying put and DeChambeau in particular is more interested in hashing out a fresh contract with the PIF-backed league.

Although those three Major winners were happy to swim on past, another big catch appears to be very interested in latching onto the PGA Tour's hook - namely, one Patrick Reed.

Speaking to Golf Digest's Evin Priest and The Telegraph's James Corrigan, Reed was asked if - hypothetically - he would consider making a return to the PGA Tour if offered the same terms as Koepka.

Reed replied: "I mean, of course. If it were up to me, I'd play everywhere. I'm already playing on three tours, why not add one more?” he added with a laugh.

“I always enjoyed my time out there on the PGA Tour. Let's be honest, out there, it's the best tour in the world. Look at what they've done in golf … I could see myself playing there at some point again. But right now, you just never know; everything's so fluid.”

The question, therefore, has to be asked: "should the PGA Tour alter its Returning Member Program in a bid to lure more LIV golfers away?"

Let us know your thoughts in the comments box below. In the meantime, four of our tour experts have had their say.

Brian Rolapp and the PGA Tour came off very well last week with the Returning Member Program that saw Brooks Koepka make an immediate return. Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith all appear to have turned it down, and the case now seems to be closed as they were the only other three men to have been considered.

I do feel it could have been branched out a little further, though, as any former PGA Tour players making the move back would have strengthened the Tour and weakened its competitor.

Patrick Reed as a Major champion could have been considered, as could former PGA Tour winners like Joaquin Niemann, Sebastian Munoz, Carlos Ortiz, Abraham Ancer, Paul Casey and Marc Leishman.

Getting these players back immediately would have been a problem to solve, but Rolapp surely could have found a way as he proved with Koepka by applying sanctions and ensuring no current PGA Tour members lose out.

Whether any other former members would have said yes is doubtful, but even one or two extra players coming back would have been a big statement and added more storylines and intrigue to events they would play and contend in.

Either way, the Returning Member Program appears to have been a success and I am sure it will return once more next year when more big LIV names near the end of their contracts.

The plain and simple answer is no, the PGA Tour shouldn't tweak its Returning Member Program to try and poach LIV Golfers back. If they were to extend the year range, where would it stop?

If they were to go back to 2018 to allow the likes of then Masters winner Patrick Reed in, many will question why they don't jump back to 2010 to allow the then Open champion, Louis Oosthuizen, in?

Tweaking the year-limit would likely lead to the thought of what was the point in the bans for joining the circuit in the first place, as would changing the criteria to accommodate those with a certain number of PGA Tour tournament victories.

Kevin Na, for example, has five wins and nearly 20 years of experience on the PGA Tour circuit. Should he be given special treatment for his long-time service, even though he was one of the first to jump to LIV Golf? No.

To me, the range of 2022 is correct as that was when the first LIV Golf event was played. What's more, I feel the Program was only constructed to lure back the players from LIV Golf that will benefit the PGA Tour. Koepka, DeChambeau, Rahm and Smith are the League's biggest draws.

If they can lure them back with this one-time offer, the PGA Tour is in an even stronger position than it already was. Obviously a Patrick Reed might help draw more eyes to tournaments, but the rules shouldn't be tweaked to do so.

The PGA Tour's Returning Member Program isn't so much a cast-iron policy as a flexible way of securing returns for high-profile LIV players who have indicated they'd be keen to come back.

The PGA Tour's CEO, Brian Rolapp, said: "This is a one-time, defined window and does not set a precedent for future situations. Once the door closes, there is no promise that this path will be available again."

As far as I see it, the path will absolutely be open again as soon as either Jon Rahm or Bryson DeChambeau decide they want to come home (I'm not sure the tour is overly bothered about Cameron Smith), although I don't envisage much tweaking as the terms need to be similar to Koepka's.

The situation becomes trickier in relation to LIV's non-Major winners. I'm sure there are players on the Saudi-backed tour who Rolapp would love to have in his ranks, but optics are in play here.

The PGA Tour always presents itself as the world's most important and powerful circuit (and it is), so it doesn't want to look desperate by pursuing non-Major winners, or those who haven't won a big-four event in the last five years, from LIV.

However, do I think Rolapp would like Joaquin Niemann, Patrick Reed, Tyrrell Hatton, Dustin Johnson, Louis Oosthuizen and possibly a couple of others back? I think so. The trouble is, finding criteria that targets the desirable LIV players but excludes others is difficult.

Is it possible to come up with a policy that allows Hatton to return without opening the doors to, say, Jason Kokrak? The other issue is upsetting the PGA Tour membership. Everyone understands why it's desirable to have Koepka and Rahm back, for example, but others would likely be met with far more opposition.

My initial feeling was yes because I think that's what will end up happening anyway.

But, after some careful thought, I really don't think the PGA Tour should budge on what Brian Rolapp said when setting out the Returning Member Program. If it does, the tour could end up in a situation where too much rule-bending is done and the members lose faith with those at the top which consequently leads to heads rolling.

My other big concern is that if the PGA Tour ultimately operates an open door policy, it runs the risk of losing some big players to LIV because they know they'll just be able to come back after a few years having earned a whole heap of cash.

I think there are certain players the PGA Tour would love to come back, but that list is limited to 10 players at absolute most.

Yes, there are a number of great players in the LIV Golf League, but - equally - the PGA Tour has plenty more. Where the PGA Tour is missing out is with the big personalities. Those players who just attract interest no matter how they're doing. I don't think LIV has that many.

In my eyes, there are no more than 10 players currently in the LIV Golf League who most people would like to see back on the PGA Tour. Even then, I forgot about half of them at first, so are they really that necessary to the product?

Rolapp and co. must believe not only that what they have already is enough to prosper but also that it has all of the tools to replace those massive stars in time anyway. If it can beat LIV to the next crop of Rahms and DeChambeaus, then there's no need to tweak the Returning Member Program.

Although he's well used now to some negative publicity, Patrick Reed says things have gone too far after revealing it has been affecting his kids at school.

Reed is currently playing at the Asian Tour's International Series Philippines, which is a world away from when he sprung to prominance by winning The Masters and his Ryder Cup exploits.

Although as 'Captain America' he was something of a national hero when helping to beat the Europeans, generally in golf he's had a bit of a tarnished reputation from allegations of rule bending.

"They say a lot of stuff, it's all false," Reed told AFP of those cheating rumors, which he'd happily deal with personally, but which cross the line when affecting his family.

"My kids have been bullied at school so that's where it's uncalled for," Reed added.

"When they all of a sudden look at your children and say stuff about them, it's like you don't even know my children and why would you even bring kids into it?

"It's not fun having to deal with some of the stuff that we deal with. The great thing is I have an amazing support team at home and an amazing family."

Reed insists he is not the person he is often portrayed to be either in the traditional media or on social media, but he still holds out hope of changing that public perception.

"The kind of person I am on and off the golf course hasn't been portrayed very well in the media throughout my career, but it's almost impossible to control others," Reed said.

"All you can do is control yourself, so I feel like I'm doing everything the right way, living the right way.

"Everyone I play pro-ams with and everybody I meet, they're all like: 'Man, you're nothing like what the media portrays you as'.

"So as long as that just continues happening, at some point it will turn around."

Reed still holds Ryder Cup hope

Reed feels like he could've been "a huge asset to the team, especially at a place I won before" if he'd played for Team USA at Bethpage.

He says though that whatever team Keegan Bradley played "I don't think we'd be able to hang with the way the Euros played" for the first two days, calling Luke Donald's side "unreal".

And the 35-year-old still holds out hope that he can play in the Ryder Cup again, with the 2027 away trip to Adare Manor in Ireland his next target.

"I love playing, especially on foreign soil," said Reed.

"It's always kind of good to go over there and be the guy that's a thorn in their side."

And Reed has been playing pretty well - finishing third at The Masters, winning the LIV Golf Dallas event and and securing another third at the BMW PGA Championship.

Reed finished second at the International Series Macau and shot 70-66 in the opening two rounds in the Philippines.

The Open Championship was not quite a last chance for Ryder Cup hopefuls to impress, but it may have been a missed opportunity for some big names to press their claims to make their respective teams.

This seems especially true for Team USA more than Europe - with Luke Donald looking like having a far more settled side with many of the 12 that won in Rome in 2023 set to return.

The big 10 for Europe seem almost assured and make our very own Ryder Cup team predictions pretty settled in terms of the visitors in New York, with Sergio Garcia the 'biggest' name likely to miss out.

One of the Hojgaard twins or Matt Fitzpatrick could be others who miss out but they're likely the only big decisions to make - while for Keegan Bradley he has some Ryder Cup stalwarts nowhere near in good enough form to warrant a pick.

Brooks Koepka

One of America's biggest alpha males, Brooks Koepka has played in four Ryder Cups, won eight points and is unbeaten in singles with a 3-0-1 record when going man-to-man.

But he's just not been himself this season, missing three cuts from four in the Majors and not managing to win on LIV Golf - with just two top 10s ahead of the latest round in the UK.

He's nowhere near qualifying so Bradley would be taking it all on trust that he could find something back at Bethpage, where he won the US Open, but that'll be a huge gamble in this form.

Patrick Reed

Three Ryder Cups, eight points from 12 matches including a perfect three-for-three in singles and a match of the century contender against Rory McIlroy - Patrick Reed has excelled as Captain America over the years.

A fallout with Jordan Spieth and move to LIV saw him miss out on the last two, and after coming third at The Masters and winning on LIV he's fallen away this season and missed the cut at The Open.

Bradley may feel he lacks experience in his side and having Reed around would certainly add a swagger, and raise the temperature and the atmosphere even higher at Bethpage - but he'd be the ultimate wildcard pick.

Dustin Johnson

OK, so it's not really a surprise but Dustin Johnson doesn't look like he'll make the side - making his perfect 5-0 record from Whistling Straits possibly his last action from five Ryder Cups.

Outside the top 100 in the standings, he missed three out of four cuts so surely won't be anywhere near Bradley's thinking unless he's planning a major curve ball for the Europeans.

It's a shame as DJ was dynamite in his perfect 2021 outing - and the best thing about him is that his matches are decisive, as he's never halved a Ryder Cup match with his record being an impressive 12-9-0.

Rickie Fowler

If you had sponsor invites into the Ryder Cup Rickie Fowler might get in! He rode the system nicely to get into The Open and finished T14, but barring a late season charge his race looks run.

He's a five-event veteran in the Ryder Cup, but Fowler's record doesn't breed confidence as he's only won three of his 17 matches and 5.5 points overall.

A huge crowd favorite, yes, but at 42nd in the standings and with that record chances are he'll have more chance being at Bethpage as an extra vice-captain than as a player.

Tony Finau

A nice symetrical won three, lost three record from Tony Finau's matches across two Ryder Cups, but he missed out in Rome last time and is just outside the top 20 in the standings again after a so-so season.

Down in 67th on Data Golf shows he's not been playing that well either, with just that spark missing from his play. He won four times in the 14 months before the last Ryder Cup and still didn't make the team - he looks to stand no chance this time.

Max Homa

Max Homa played really well in his Ryder Cup debut in Rome, winning 3.5 points after being trusted to play all five matches, but his form has fallen off a cliff since.

He's missed cuts by the bucketload and didn't even make the last two Majors of the season, so he's got no chance sadly until he can at least find some of his best form.

It's a crucial two weeks for Patrick Reed, who believes a serious challenge at The Open would seal his return to the Ryder Cup side.

Reed became Team USA's Captain America with standout displays in a couple of tournaments in 2014 and 2016 - but has not worn the red, white and blue in the Ryder Cup since 2018.

A woeful American performance and apparent fallout with previous playing partner Jordan Spieth capped a miserable time in Paris for the USA - which remains Reed's last Ryder Cup appearance.

Joining LIV Golf has limited his opportunities to compile Ryder Cup qualifying points, but he's not a million miles away even at 36th in the current standings - while a previous win at Bethpage Black can't hurt his chances.

Reed won his maiden LIV Golf title in Dallas recently, and also finished third in The Masters and T23 in the US Open, and hopes one more big Major display could seal the deal.

Keegan Bradley's qualifying situation is a big question mark while the standings look wide open currently, so Reed believes it all comes down to his performance at Royal Portrush.

"I think it all comes down to next week at The Open," said Reed when asked about his Ryder Cup chances at LIV Golf Andalucia.

"Obviously play well here, but go ahead and win the Open Championship, and I believe I'd be inside the top six on points, so I think that would lock it in and allow me to be on the team."

Bradley will take note of LIV Golf performances, so Reed's Dallas win gave him a huge boost, but it will be on the links at Portrush where he needs to shine, given he can't play in the PGA Tour down the finishing stretch of the season.

"Really the next couple weeks I have to play some solid golf, go out and contend on Sundays, have a chance to win golf tournaments, and if I do that, then hopefully Keegan picks me," Reed added.

"But at the end of the day, because we only get the Majors that have points for the Ryder Cup, it's an uphill battle.

"The good thing is I feel like I'm in a good spot right now as long as I go out and play well in the final Major."

With a lot of big name regulars struggling and a lot of inexperience around the qualifiers, Bradley could well do with the type of play Reed produced in two Ryder Cups.

As long as he smooths over any lingering personal issues among the team, Reed could be a headline act in the raucous atmosphere of Bethpage Black.

As of writing, we are three months out from the Ryder Cup and, between now and then, several players have the chance to throw their hat into the ring in terms of selection.

One of those is Patrick Reed who, at LIV Golf Dallas, overcame a four-man playoff to secure his maiden LIV Golf title and, with it, a big statement towards US Ryder Cup captain, Keegan Bradley.

A three-time Ryder Cupper, Reed has an impressive record in the team event and is undefeated in the singles. However, Captain America hasn't featured on a US Ryder Cup team since Le Golf National in 2018.

Being a member of the LIV Golf League, it's unlikely that Reed will secure an automatic spot into the US side via the Ryder Cup Rankings, which means he will need to put in strong performances to catch the eye of Bradley and be a captain's pick.

Certainly, with a win at Maridoe Golf Club, Reed will have put Bradley on alert, especially as the former Masters champion is one of the few Americans to have won in 2025.

Scottie Scheffler has already qualified and, with 11 spots still remaining, Reed will be hoping to make it a fourth appearance at the Ryder Cup, which takes place at Bethpage Black at the end of September.

So, will Reed be present in three months time? Three Golf Monthly writers give their thoughts on the 34-year-old's chances.

I believe Reed is still one of the USA’s top players and would be well deserving of a pick, having won the Hong Kong Open and his first LIV Golf title within the past eight months, while he also finished third at The Masters.

He has missed just one of his last 13 Major cuts, so clearly continues to be a gritty competitor who can deliver points for Team USA. I do not think that he has really been considered for a spot on the team, however, due to not being invited to Bradley’s big dinner during the Truist Championship, where the most recent Ryder Cup team players, Presidents Cup team members and other contenders were all in attendance.

Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau from LIV Golf were both invited so it was strange that Reed was not, especially as it came just a month after he was the leading American finisher at Augusta National. Perhaps he has fallen out of favor after now infamously stating that Jordan Spieth didn’t want to play with him at Paris 2018 - which so happens to have been the last time he wore the USA colors.

While I don’t doubt his ability as a world class player, I don’t think he will be one of Bradley’s six picks and qualifying automatically can realistically only be achieved by winning the Claret Jug next month.

I think Reed deserves to be part of the 12-man side, especially when you look at the fact he has been one of the in-form American players over the past nine months with two victories and several top 10s.

What's more, he has won around Bethpage Black before, albeit back in 2016, but course form is course form and, being staged in a rowdy New York environment, there aren't many players better suited to the cauldron-like atmosphere of a Ryder Cup in the State.

However, as Elliott alluded to, he wasn't part of Bradley's Ryder Cup dinner at the Truist Championship, which means perhaps he isn't on the radar of the captain, which is a shame, especially when you see that a number of US players are struggling for form.

Personally, I believe Reed is 100% deserving of a spot in New York and should be there. Unfortunately, like we saw in Rome, could selection politics play a part? I know team-bonding makes a difference, but a fired up and in-form Reed can make a huge difference to any side, so why can't we see him on the first tee at Bethpage Black?

There has to be a serious case put forward for Reed to be on Team USA at Bethpage Black. Not only has he now won this year, but he played well at The Masters, finishing third, and produced an encouraging display at the US Open, too, ending his championship T23rd.

A missed cut at the PGA Championship aside, there has certainly been enough good play from Reed otherwise to tell Bradley that his team would be helped by the addition of Captain America.

His previous experience will count for a lot at an event which really has no clear favorite either way at this point in time. USA are at home, yes, but 2025 has been a good year for European winners and Luke Donald's men will certainly fancy their chances as it stands.

What Reed gives Team USA is fight and determination - a kind of unwavering grit that I don't see from many of the other likely candidates. He has that quality which means, no matter what kind of form he's in, none of the European players are going to actively want to face him.

Even a moderately in-form Reed is worth including on Team USA's Ryder Cup roster, if only because - like his captain - the man lives and breathes the Ryder Cup and will do whatever is necessary to help his country win.

There were more wild, beer-throwing celebrations at the famous Watering Hole at LIV Golf Adelaide once again after Patrick Reed hit a hole-in-one in the first round.

The 12th hole at the Grange Golf Club is a stadium hole built to mirror the famous 16th hole at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and it provided a similar atmosphere when Reed landed his ace.

It was by far the highlight of Reed's day as he shot a one-over 73 in his first round, but bagging an ace at this hole will be a moment to remember.

In a similar scene to when Chase Koepka made a hole-in-one in 2023, fans at the Watering Hole went crazy when Reed's ball landed a couple of yards from the hole, grabbed and turned before ducking into the cup.

Plastic beer cups came showering down onto the tee box as 4 Aces man Reed bounced down the hole hugging and high-fiving anybody he could find.

"It was unreal. My throat still hurts from it," said Reed after his round. "The crazy thing was the adrenaline afterwards. I was shaking going back to the tee and just couldn't kind of calm down and settle into the round after that point. It's one of those things that you don't really expect.

"I know the caddies and the guys I was playing with, as they were walking off the green, they were just complaining about how soaked they were. I didn't feel anything. I couldn't feel anything at that point.

"It's awesome to give the fans what they want. That's why we want to be out here; golf but louder. Anytime you can bring that energy, especially at a place like this, these crowds are outstanding, and to go out there on that hole and give them what they want, it's always nice not having to putt on any hole. It was awesome."

Plenty of different angles have been shared on social media of Reed's ace, including from new LIV Golf ambassador Rick Shiels, who is in Australia covering the tournament in his new role.

Fans pack out the Watering Hole each year, with plenty of liquid refreshment and music to keep them entertained along with the golf - but there's nothing more entertaining than a hole-in-one in this sport.

Despite Reed's ace, he still ended day one seven shots behind leader Sam Horsfield after the Englishman shot a fine 66 at the Grange.

The Majesticks man has a pair of Torque GC players chasing him as both Carlos Ortiz and Joaquin Niemann shot five-under rounds of 67.

Dustin Johnson continued his fine start to the season after backing up his T4 finish in Riyadh with a four-under start in Adelaide, where he's joined by Abraham Ancer and Bryson DeChambeau.

Lucas Herbert is the leading Australian on one under, with his Ripper GC captain Cameron Smith a shot behind him after a level-par 72.

When I think of Patrick Reed, two things come to mind... winning the Masters in 2018 and the American's stellar short game. In fact, if you consult the Data Golf all-time Strokes Gained data, Patrick Reed ranks 10th in the around the green category, just one place behind World No.1 Scottie Scheffler.

With a myriad of professional wins to his name, all over the world and on multiple top-level tours, Patrick Reed is the perfect person to ask about how to improve your short game.

So, in the interest of getting you in better shape around the greens, we asked Reed to share his five top tips...

Patrick Reed Short Game School

1. Chip Shots

I grew up missing every green on the planet and every fairway so it became a necessity to become good at chipping. It’s all about getting the creative side of my game working. I like to look at a chip and visualise different types of shots I can play.

When you have a chip in front of you, obviously you’ve put yourself in a position – whether through a poor tee shot or iron shot – to need to recover. Chipping the ball really well, I can say from experience, saves rounds. It keeps momentum on your side if you birdied the previous hole. At the same time, a par when you’re in a bad spot will help you keep the round going.

You’re not going to be able to pure it with your full shots every round, so it always helps when you have a good short game to lean on. If you’re playing really well on a given day, you can use chipping as a way to keep your round intact, and you can tell yourself that there’s no place on the course that will throw you off your game.

Being able to say that is a big deal and it does wonders for your confidence. I tend to draw my chips – it’s just something I’ve got comfortable with over the years. I know the majority of pros cut them, but I like to draw them.

2. Bunker Shots

The biggest thing for me is just really good practice. Bunker play boils down to knowing the lie you have and making sure you have good contact and the right kind of strike. The only way you’re going to be able to do that consistently is practice, practice, practice. I like to hit a lot of partial shots and, with bunker play, you’re trying to accelerate through impact and finish full, from a partial takeaway.

The thing about golf that makes it so hard is that there’s no substitute for practice. In the end, it’s just you out there and you can’t sugarcoat anything. Any weaknesses and any things you haven’t practised are going to show in your score or stats.

3. Lag Putting

Lag putting is all about repetition. Hitting your putts and knowing how far you have to hit it when you’ve got 45ft, 55ft. It’s all about rhythm and training your hands and arms to do that stroke over and over again. And let yourself feel free as you stroke those longer putts. You want to feel loose and not tense when you’re trying to cosy it up close from long distance.

4. Pressure Putts

For me, making pressure putts has always been about keeping everything within my routine. Whenever you’re under a lot of pressure, obviously your heart rate goes up and the easiest way to bring your heart rate down and keep it level is to have the same routine. That is whether you’re hitting your first putt of a round, practising on the putting green or on the 72nd hole trying to win at Augusta.

When you do the same routine over and over again, your body gets used to that and then gets in a normal rhythm. That then makes it easier for your hands to be more relaxed over those pressure putts so you can deliver when it matters most.

5. Hit More Greens

The biggest thing is knowing your distances – how far your shots carry through the bag. It’s not about knowing how far the ball rolls out to – the carry distance is what is going to keep you out of trouble. You’ll have some courses where it rains and gets very soft, and others where it’s firm and the ball is going to land and roll.

The biggest thing I encourage you amateurs to do is to get a good understanding of your carry distances with your irons, especially down to the wedges, as that will help you be aggressive and attack shots more out there.

Patrick Reed would love to make a Ryder Cup return in 2025 to be a “pest” for the Europeans to deal with at Bethpage Black.

Known as Captain America for his Ryder Cup exploits, Reed hasn’t played for Team USA since their embarrassing defeat in Paris in 2018.

He finished 11th in qualifying for 2021 at Whistling Straits, but did not make Steve Stricker’s side due to health concerns following a serious illness with bilateral pneumonia.

Reed also missed Rome in 2023 after joining LIV Golf, but Keegan Bradley’s assertion that he’ll select who he feels are the best players from any tour opens the door for Reed to try and make a return.

“Obviously, that's great news and everything like that,” Reed told Gulf News at the International Series in Qatar.

“I like how he's open to trying to put out the best team possible. I feel like there's a lot of guys on LIV that can really help out that team. At the end of the day, it's ultimately his decision.”

Reed, who is against players being paid to play in the Ryder Cup, is desperate to just get back into the Team USA uniform and go out and do what he's made his name doing - rubbing Europeans up the wrong way.

“Obviously, I'd love to be back on that team," Reed added. "I'd love to be that pest that's always, you know, bugging the heck out of those Euros."

Reed holds a 7-3-2 record from three Ryder Cups, with an unblemished 3-0 record in the singles, so will no doubt be in Bradley's thinking when it comes to making his captain's picks.

And Reed just hopes to play well enough to be in contention now that Bradley has decided to do things his way and select players from whatever tour he wants.

“I love to hear that he’s going to stand up and be like, ‘hey, since I'm captain, I'm going to put the best Americans out there that I feel like are best for our team.’

“Honestly, that's how it should be, and good for him. I’m proud to hear that, and I'm excited to hear about that. Now, hopefully, we can just go out and do our job, play some good golf, and hopefully get in that mix.”

One of the most passionate competitors in the Ryder Cup in recent years, Patrick Reed says he's against players being paid to play for Team USA.

Reed, known as Captain America for his performances and his passion in the Ryder Cup, spoke to Gulf News about what he called a "sticky situation" surrounding player payments, but ultimately feels they "don't need money to drive us to go play the Ryder Cup".

Although not officially confirmed, reports suggest that the PGA of America has agreed to pay Team USA $400,000 a man to play in next year's Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black.

Opinion is divided on the touchy subject, with Paul McGinley among those vehemently against it and Rory McIlroy saying he would happily pay for the privilege of playing in a Ryder Cup.

Conversely, former USA player Hunter Mahan told Golf Monthly why he agrees with the payments, but that's not a view shared by Reed.

“In the past, when I was part of Ryder Cups, none of the players or caddies were ever sitting there and talking about whether we got paid or not. None of us could really care," Reed told Gulf News at the International Series Qatar.

“All we cared about was playing the Ryder Cup, representing your country, going out and playing against Europe, and hopefully bringing the cup home or keeping the cup.

“That tournament is so much more than getting paid. We don't need money to drive us to go play the Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup or Olympics.

“What drives us to play in those events is going out and playing for something way bigger than just yourself."

Reed also sees some trouble ahead regarding Keegan Bradley making his captain's picks, which would ultimately cost players not chosen $400,000.

“Honestly, if it comes down to picks and that determines whether a guy gets paid or not, I don’t like that. I don't like that at all," Reed added.

“Guys grind so hard. Every two years, you're grinding so hard to try to make that team, so if you're one of those guys that's inside the top 12 and then you get left out, and then on top of it, you lose money for it, especially that much money - $400k is a lot of money.

“I don't know how that would all happen and take care of itself, but I don't like it personally.

“To sit there and think, ‘oh man, I played well enough to be inside the top 12 but didn’t get picked and lost money for it’ - that just, to me, doesn't sit well."

LIV Golf's Patrick Reed ended his near-four-year wait for an individual victory on Sunday by winning the Asian Tour's Hong Kong Open by three strokes.

Reed had not tasted a lone triumph since the 2021 Farmers Insurance Open on the PGA Tour, but he snapped that streak by claiming a maiden Asian Tour win at Hong Kong Golf Club on 22-under.

The 2018 Masters champion followed his history-making 11-under 59 on Saturday with an impressive 66 to maintain his overnight advantage and come out on top from New Zealand's Ben Campbell - who is enjoying a fine season himself while hunting a full-time spot in the LIV Golf League next season via the Asian Tour's International Series.

The $2 million Hong Kong Open marked one of the final International Series tournaments this term, with only two more events remaining before a season-long champion is crowned.

America's John Catlin currently leads the way in the standings, but he missed the cut this week and saw his healthy gap to Campbell in second greatly reduced from around 240 points to less than 90.

Reed has also climbed into contention following his long-awaited win, which included four birdies in a row early on Sunday to help create what was - at one point - a seven-stroke cushion.

The 34-year-old dropped shots on the 15th and final holes of his fourth round, but it mattered not as Reed coasted over the line before explaining his pride over a superb weekend display.

He said: "Nothing like coming to a place that I know pretty well and love the golf course. I love how it makes me think about golf shots and you have to be creative around this place.

"So, to be able to come out and play the way like I did on the weekend. I mean, it always helps shooting 59 yesterday, but the biggest thing, the hardest part, was today.

“Going out there and forgetting about the 59 and going out, even though I had a three-shot lead, to try to expand on that. And the goal was to go out there and make a couple birdies early quickly, get up on top, so then on the back nine I could just kind of hit fairways and middle of the greens.

“When I was able to birdie on 13 there, then it just kind of got into really boring golf which led to two mistakes. But, you know, the last one, I was not ever going to take that on.”

Reed - who has won twice as part of a team since switching to LIV - saw his closest challenge come from Campbell, but the International Series' current second-place golfer admitted his cold putter prevented a real battle breaking out.

Campbell said: "Another frustrating day with the putter. I hit it really well, but yeah, for the weekend the putter was pretty cold, unfortunately.

"Obviously, it’s still a good result, but just frustrating it was not to be. I feel like I should have been right up there and pushing Patrick. So, yeah, it is what it is, but it was close.”

Japan's Kazuki Higa was third on 18-under, one stroke in front of Australia's Wade Ormsby and Thailand's Sadom Kaewkanjana. England's Justin Rose, the 2015 Hong Kong Open champion, managed a final-round 67 and ended in a tie for 18^th on 13-under.

The Asian Tour only has two tournaments remaining this year, with the International Series Qatar next week preceding the season-ending PIF Saudi International at Riyadh Golf Club between December 4-7.

Patrick Reed has enjoyed a rather busy 2024, with the American featuring on the LIV Golf League, DP World Tour and the Asian Tour circuit.

Although he hasn't claimed a victory yet, he is on-course to do so at the Link Hong Kong Open, as an 11-under-par 59 at the Hong Kong Golf Club has put him in a fine position to claim his first win of the year.

The 59 is the second in Asian Tour history and comes just eight months after John Catlin became the first player to shoot the number at the International Series Macau. Ironically, that day, Reed was paired with his fellow countryman.

"Yeah, you know, it was kind of one those days,” explained Reed, who is attempting to win for the first time in four years and claim his maiden Asian Tour title.

“I got up, I felt a little tight but felt ready to go and got out here and had probably one of the worst warm-ups ever. I looked at my caddy, and he goes, hey, a warm-up is a warm-up, let's go out and just play golf. He goes, some of your best rounds have come from a poor warm-up.”

Starting his third round with five straight birdies, Reed then made a sixth gain on the seventh, as a front nine of 28 meant the 59 was truly on. Despite three pars to begin the back nine, another birdie at the 13th meant he would need four birdies in his final five holes.

Parring the 14th, the former Major winner then found three birdies on the bounce on the 15th, 16th and 17th and, putting his approach close at the final hole, he was able to make the final putt to put himself into the history books.

Sitting three shots clear of Rashid Khan and Nitithorn Thippong, Reed is on-course for a first win on the Asian Tour circuit and, with it, a first victory since the 2021 Farmers Insurance Open.

Patrick Reed is the latest LIV Golf League star to join the field at the DP World Tour's Open de Espana later this month.

Reed will be making his debut at the iconic event - which has been won by the likes of Seve Ballesteros and Arnold Palmer in the past - between September 26-29 after receiving an invite by tournament organizers.

That tournament is just one week after LIV Golf's Team Championship event in Dallas and two weeks on from the LIV Golf Individual Championship in Chicago. Reed's 4Aces squad has long been out of contention for the team title while the American is 20th in the individual standings and likely to remain in the 'lock zone' after the final putt drops at Bolingbrook Golf Club.

The 4Aces player will be up against several of his LIV Golf League peers at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid, though - including Tyrrell Hatton and Jon Rahm - after they officially launched appeals against sanctions imposed by the DP World Tour for competing in concurrent tournaments while still a member.

Rahm had initially been told he would not be allowed to play in his home event due to an ongoing suspension but challenged the decision before the deadline which allowed him the chance to compete on home soil once more.

In turn, that kept his Ryder Cup chances alive because Rahm must play in four DP World Tour events per season - not including the Majors - if he is to maintain his membership, a pre-requisite for making Luke Donald's team.

While Reed is only currently down to play the Open de Espana, Rahm has revealed he also intends to play in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and the Andalucia Masters in the following weeks.

Both will be in the Open de Espana field with two of the three remaining Spanish LIV golfers - Eugenio Chacarra and David Puig - after the pair were included via the National Spots category.

At the time of writing, Sergio Garcia is the only Spaniard who competes in the LIV Golf League without a tee time for the Open de Espana. Likely his only route into the event - should he want one - would be courtesy of a professional tournament invitation like Reed received.

Among the other Spaniards to have confirmed their place in the field includes Jose Luis Ballester - winner of the 2024 US Amateur and the first man from Spain to do so in the event's history.

Patrick Reed will make his first DP World Tour appearance for 18 months when he tees it up at the BMW International Open in Munich - adding a Ryder Cup flavour by being confirmed along with Luke Donald.

Reed was last seen on the DP World Tour at the 2023 Dubai Desert Classic when he had his infamous tee tangle with Rory McIlroy before losing the title to the Northern Irishman by a shot.

The LIV Golf star will now be back on the tour having been confirmed in the line-up for the BMW International Open in Munich from 4-7 July.

Fellow LIV Golf League stars Martin Kaymer, the only German to ever win this event back in 2008, and Thomas Pieters will also be taking part in Germany.

Kaymer's last DP World Tour appearance came in this event in June 2022, when he finished T36, while Pieters finished runner-up in this year's Soudal Open in Antwerp last month.

Reed, an honorary lifetime member of the DP World Tour, has always been keen to play in Europe and on the tour, but the 33-year-old will be making his BMW International Open debut in Munich.

“The anticipation for the BMW International Open and coming to Munich is great because I have already heard many good things about this tournament,” said Reed. 

“The BMW Championship in the USA and the BMW PGA Championship are fantastic events; BMW just does it really well. I am sure it will be no different in Munich, and I look forward to the golf fans in Germany.”

Known as Captain America for his Ryder Cup exploits, Reed will line up alongside European captain Luke Donald - who will take charge of the team for the second event running in New York in 2025.

Donald masterminded an incredible European triumph in Rome, but it will be an even greater task trying to grab a rare away victory in the hotbed of New York at Bethpage Black next year.

While the former World No.1 can still focus on his own golf though, he's keen to test himself among the DP World Tour's best in Munich next month.

“I am very much looking forward to teeing off at the 35th anniversary of the BMW International Open,” said Donald.

“It is an iconic tournament on the DP World Tour calendar, and like the BMW PGA Championship, it has a great atmosphere and represents everything BMW has contributed to the development of golf over the past decades.”

The 35th anniversary of the BMW International Open will also be significant as it will be German legend Bernhard Langer's DP World Tour farewell event.

The two-time Masters champion will play on the main DP World Tour for the final time in front of a home crowd in what is sure to be an emotional event.

Patrick Reed's run of 41 consecutive Major appearances is set to come to an end at the US Open next week - but the LIV golfer believes that would almost certainly have not been the case if a different world-ranking system was in place.

As a member of the LIV Golf League, Reed is not eligible for world-ranking points while playing the 54-hole circuit's events - yet he is capable of securing them on other OWGR-recognized tours.

Since the beginning of the current OWGR cycle in 2022, Reed has featured in 18 counting events (eight of which were Majors) and has managed five top-10s as well as eight top-25s - his best being a solo-second-place finish behind eventual champion, Rory McIlroy at the 2023 Dubai Desert Classic.

That has left him as the 100th best male pro golfer in the world, according to the Official World Golf Ranking system.

Many LIV golfers have been vocal critics of the OWGR in the past, including Reed, Bryson DeChambeau, and CEO Greg Norman. In October 2022, the Texan labelled the OWGR as "insignificant" while DeChambeau called it "pretty much almost obsolete" last year. Norman, meanwhile, has brandished the OWGR as "laughable" in February.

Turning attention back to the 2018 Masters champion, Reed insisted his overall form has been more than good enough to mark him as worthy of teeing it up at the Majors on a consistent basis.

Speaking to LIV Golf media staff before LIV Golf Houston this week, Reed said: “If those events would carry over into a normal season throughout, there’d be no doubt I’d be in the majors,” referring to his results since January 2023. “I’ll be well inside the top 20, probably top 15 in the world with those kinds of finishes consistently throughout the year.

“I feel like the world ranking is not a reflection of where I should be and what events I should be in. But at the end of the day, I don’t make those decisions. It’s their [Majors] call on special exemptions. They’re the ones that make those decisions and I just have to live with it, just continue doing what I do and play golf.”

While Reed's previous Augusta triumph ensures he never has to worry about sorting his tee time at The Masters ever again, gaining entry into both Open championships either side of the Atlantic via final qualifying remains on the table.

Yet, the 33-year-old was forced to withdraw from US Open qualifying recently - ironically because of his play at the PGA Championship.

Reed had entered into the Dallas qualifier on Monday, May 20 as it was nearest to his home and it fell during a down period for LIV. But, after gaining an exemption into Valhalla as a result of his top-100 status in the OWGR, Reed made it through to the weekend before realizing making it back to Texas would be too much of an ask, logistically.

He ended T53 in Kentucky on Sunday afternoon but had to bail on qualifying further west given the start time the following morning was 8am.

“It was my best option," he said. "Playing at a major championship, grinding for four days, then trying to get a flight out and get there … it wasn’t feasible. Too much that I had to do to try to get there and line everything up. It wasn’t meant to be.”

And because US Open rules state that players may only enter one qualifying event per season, Reed's superb Major record was set to end - despite there being nine more US-based tournaments on June 3.

“It has it right there saying 'here’s the transfer date. Because of that, it was too late to switch. And you don’t expect to get special treatment, because then they’d have to do it for everyone.”

Patrick Reed's 10-year streak of playing in consecutive Major championships is set to end this June after the LIV golfer opted to pull out of US Open qualifying on Monday.

The 33-year-old has not missed a blue-chip event since the 2014 Masters and went on to win his only Major at Augusta in 2018.

If he was to earn an automatic invite to the US Open via a spot in the world's top-60, Reed would have needed to come third or better at the PGA Championship. However, the 4Aces GC player ended T53 and was required to earn his way in via regional qualifying this week.

Yet, the run of consecutive Majors played will end at 41 after Reed opted to withdraw from a sectional qualifier at Dallas Athletic Club on Monday for reasons unknown. And per the USGA, someone who has withdrawn from a qualifying event cannot try to book their spot in another location at a later date.

Reed has played in 10 US Opens during his career, achieving a best result of 4th at the 2018 version - held at Shinnecock Hills. He has also only missed the cut once, in his third visit during 2016, and has four other top-20 finishes.

As a member of the LIV Golf League - which is not able to offer world-ranking points to its players - Reed has seen his OWGR position steadily slide over the course of the past few years.

The World No.6 in 2020, Reed has relied on Major championships to maintain his relatively-high ranking but is now placed at 92nd following a middling PGA Championship.

Born in San Antonio, Texas, Reed only teed it up at Valhalla as a result of his top-100 status, secured thanks to a T12 finish at The Masters in April.

The aforementioned qualifying event in Dallas, Texas, was the first of 11 in North America and contained nine players from LIV Golf. However, only Eugenio Chacarra definitely qualified as Sergio Garcia - hoping to play his 25th US Open in a row - missed out in extraordinary circumstances.

The Spaniard - who made it through qualifying in 2023 - was on track to reach Pinehurst with relative ease this year but double-bogeyed the par-5 16th hole and made par at the final two to enter a seven-for-six playoff. In the extra hole, everyone else made birdie or par apart from Garcia - who bogeyed it.

He is now the first alternate and will be relying on a withdrawal to continue his own magnificent streak ahead of the other 10 North American qualifying events - which all take place on Monday, June 3.

The 124th US Open is set to take place at Pinehurst No.2 Course at Pinehurst Resort, North Carolina between June 13-16.

When Patrick Reed won the 2018 Masters, he wrote his name in the Augusta National history books.

However, as well as becoming the 52nd player to win the trophy, another significant knock-on effect of his achievement was that he never needed to worry about how to qualify for the Major again as it handed him a lifetime exemption. 

As with any champion, Reed also received many other perks from winning The Masters, but among the most attractive were the exemptions it gave him to the other three Majors.

Those slots were only guaranteed for five years, though, meaning this year’s Masters is more important for the American than previous editions in the years since his win as he looks to secure his place at future Majors.

That wouldn’t have been an issue had Reed won any Major since, as it would have guaranteed him places at them for another five years (and longer at the Major he'd have won). But though he has come close, with five top-10 Major finishes since, he has yet to win another.

The biggest culprit is actually not Reed’s failure to win another Major, but his world ranking. Ever since signing for LIV Golf, Reed’s ability to earn the points has been hindered due to the circuit’s world ranking ineligibility. That's important because being above a particular world ranking by a particular date, depending on the Major, is another way to qualify.

Reed's biggest problem is that LIV Golf has a packed schedule of 14 events, meaning he has only had limited chances to play world-ranking events, with his best options being Major appearances and Asian Tour events.

Even though Reed has been one of the most active in both as he bids for a high enough world ranking to reach the other Majors, he dropped out of the world’s top 50 for the first time since 2014 in September 2022, and headed into this year’s Masters in 112th.

That’s below the threshold for even the most generous Major for qualifying via world ranking, the PGA Championship, which, although not official, typically offers a place to any player in the top 100 not already qualified.

So, how can Reed’s performance at this year’s Masters help his predicament? Well, the most surefire way of claiming a place at the other three Majors is to repeat his achievement of six years ago. That would take his world ranking out of the equation for the foreseeable future as he’d once again earn five-year exemptions to each.

Failing that, another good option is a strong finish, a likely prospect given his three top-10s at Augusta National since his win, including T4 last year. A similar place on the leaderboard this year would see his world ranking given a welcome boost (last year, for example, he jumped from 70th to 45th).

Then it would be a case of trying to schedule other world ranking events to qualify for any remaining Majors he could still be short on, or, assuming his world ranking is high enough to secure a PGA Championship invite, a win at Valhalla in May would do it.

Even if Reed doesn’t perform at his best this week, all would not quite be lost where the US Open and The Open are concerned, with final qualifying one route to each.

Of course, none of those options would be more appealing than winning the Green Jacket for a second time and for that reason, Reed is likely feeling the pressure a little more than many at Augusta National this week.

Patrick Reed is facing the prospect of missing his first Major for a decade with the PGA Championship at Valhalla.

The American’s run began at the 2014 Masters and currently stretches to 39 successive events. He’ll make that 40 in April at the Augusta National Major thanks to his 2018 Masters win, which handed him a lifetime exemption to the tournament. However, the LIV Golf player’s world ranking means he could be relying on an invite to play at the second Major of the year in May.

Reed’s Masters triumph guaranteed him a place at all four Majors for five years, but he isn’t currently in any of the remaining three Majors this year.

Typically, the top 100 in the world rankings are handed an invitation to the PGA Championship, but despite regularly playing on the Asian Tour between his LIV Golf commitments, which can’t offer its players world ranking points, the 33-year-old has not been able to prevent falling to 109th.

When he signed for LIV Golf in June 2022, Reed was ranked 36th, but in September that year he dropped out of the world’s top 50 for the first time since 2014 and the trend has largely continued since.

Reed received a welcome boost in the world rankings after last year’s Masters, when his finish of fourth saw him jump back to World No.45, but despite competing in six more world ranking events since, including the three remaining Majors in 2023, he has not been able to prevent slipping out of the all-important top 100.

Reed is in the field for this week's International Series Macau, and a win at the Asian Tour event could get him into the field. Failing that, he has an excellent overall track record at The Masters, which has seen him record three top-10 finishes as well as his victory, so another strong performance next month could also yet be enough to earn him a place at Valhalla.

There is also a chance he may yet receive an invite. One LIV Golf player who has already guaranteed his place via that route is Joaquin Niemann. Per AP's Doug Ferguson, the Chief Championship Officer for the PGA of America Kerry Haigh also confirmed more will be sent out after The Players Championship, which takes place at TPC Sawgrass this week.

Haigh also explained how the invites are determined, pointing out that the world’s top 100 is just one of the criteria considered. He said: “We certainly do use that list, as well as other lists from various tours around the world. It's nothing new or different than what we've done in the past and hopefully we'll plan to do so again."

Beyond the PGA Championship, Reed also faces an uncertain future in the US Open and The Open, with his world ranking again a factor. To qualify with his world ranking, he'd need to be 60th or higher for the US Open, with a top 50 berth for The Open.

All would not be lost, though, as Reed would still have the option of going through qualifying for the chance to play in the final two Majors of the year if necessary.

Sponsored cap, no hat, sponsored cap, charity hat, new sponsored cap - Patrick Cantlay's relationship with the headwear has been a complicated one over the past few months. But moving into 2024, we should see some consistency atop the 31-year-old after the American signed with Apollo Global Management.

The World No.5 lost Goldman Sachs as a hat sponsor back in November 2023 following four years of association, having moved away from his club, hat and bag deal with Titleist ahead of the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions. The 31-year-old remains under contract with Titleist to play the Pro V1x ball but does not have the US brand’s logo on his cap or bag.

This time last year, Cantlay also lost - or chose to end - his apparel deal with Hugo Boss. "No more Hugo Boss," the American said in his pre-tournament press conference at the 2023 Sentry. He would later sign with B.Draddy and Zero Restriction midway through the season.

But at the end of a tumultuous 12-month period for Cantlay, in relation to sponsors, he and his team quickly found a replacement for the investment banking company. 

On Apollo, Cantlay said: “The firm shares my focus on constant improvement and passion for learning, and I am confident that we will succeed together, both on and off the course.”

Meanwhile, Apollo co-president Jim Zelter said: “We are thrilled to partner with Patrick as he embarks on what we expect to be another successful season on the PGA TOUR. His relentless pursuit of excellence, commitment to his craft and rigorous approach to the game aligns with our approach to investing. We look forward to supporting Patrick as he builds on his illustrious career and achieves new heights.”

Cantlay - who will become Apollo's first brand ambassador - is set to debut the alternative asset manager's logo at The American Express next week, days after donning a First Responders Children's Foundation cap at The Sentry.

Cantlay was involved in a new partnership with FRCF at Kapalua to raise awareness and money to support first responder families across America and its territories. This cause was especially important during last week's tournament in Hawaii after wildfires in August which killed 100 people and destroyed a part of the island nearby.

And according to Doug Ferguson of the Associated Press, a Patrick Cantlay Scholarship will be launched later this year, awarding "four-year scholarships to a cohort of first-responder children who demonstrate business acumen and aspire to become entrepreneurs."

The PGA Tour’s FedEx Fall schedule continues with the Butterfield Bermuda Championship at Port Royal Golf Course.

Last year, Seamus Power claimed victory by one shot over Thomas Detry, and while the Irishman is not defending his title this week, Detry is appearing, as he goes in search of his maiden PGA Tour title.

The highest-ranked player in the field is Lucas Glover. The six-time PGA Tour winner, who is 31st in the world, showed some excellent form in the tournaments leading up to the FedEx Fall schedule, including wins in the Wyndham Championship and FedEx St. Jude Championship, before finishing 20th in the Tour Championship at East Lake. 

Glover’s first start since that tournament finished with a less impressive T59 at the World Wide Technology Championship, and he’ll be hoping to get back on track here.

If he is to claim his third win of the year, though, he’ll face stiff competition from former World No.1 Adam Scott. While the Australian is yet to win in 2023, he has come close on several occasions, with a T5 at the Wells Fargo Championship among five top-10 finishes.

There are three former winners of the tournament in the field, too. Brendon Todd cruised to victory in 2019, beating Harry Higgs by four shots, and he is looking for his fourth PGA Tour title. The year after, Brian Gay lifted the trophy after winning a playoff against Wyndham Clark, and the American, who is now 51, is hoping to roll back the years again for his sixth win on the Tour.

Lucas Herbert is the most recent winner in this week’s field. The Australian beat Danny Lee and Patrick Reed, who now play for LIV Golf, by one shot in 2021. That was his maiden win on the PGA Tour, and he hasn’t claimed another since. Will this be the week that changes?

Elsewhere, brothers Wesley and George Bryan, who are well-known for their YouTube channel Bryan Bros Golf, each play, with George making his PGA Tour debut thanks to a sponsor exemption. As for Wesley, he is looking for his second PGA Tour win after beating Luke Donald by one shot at the 2017 RBC Heritage.

Another player making his PGA Tour debut is local player Oliver Betschart. The 15-year-old prodigy appears thanks to making it through a local qualifier and becomes the youngest player on the Tour since 2014, when Guan Tianlang appeared at the Sony Open in Hawaii.

Other notable players in the field include Alex Noren, who, rather than play on the DP World Tour’s Nedbank Golf Challenge, which he won seven years ago, is hoping for a maiden PGA Tour victory.

Luke List, who won October’s Sanderson Farms Championship, also plays, and is joined by two other players in the world’s top 100, Alex Smalley and Mark Hubbard.

Players are competing for a purse of $6.5m with the winner in line for a windfall of $1.17m.

Below is the prize money breakdown and field for the Butterfield Bermuda Championship.

Butterfield Bermuda Championship Prize Money

Butterfield Bermuda Championship Field

• Alexander, Tyson
• Armour, Ryan
• Atwal, Arjun
• Baker, Chris
• Barnes, Ricky
• Bennett, Sam
• Betschart, Oliver
• Bhatia, Akshay
• Biondi, Fred
• Blixt, Jonas
• Brehm, Ryan
• Brown, Scott
• Bryan, George
• Bryan, Wesley
• Byrd, Jonathan
• Chalmers, Greg
• Champ, Cameron
• Chappell, Kevin
• Cink, Stewart
• Cone, Trevor
• Contini, Martin
• Cook, Austin
• Crane, Ben
• Daffue, MJ
• Detry, Thomas
• Dou, Zecheng
• Dufner, Jason
• Dunlap, Nick
• Echavarria, Nico
• Endycott, Harrison
• Ernst, Derek
• Frittelli, Dylan
• Gainey, Tommy
• Garnett, Brice
• Garrigus, Robert
• Gay, Brian
• Gerard, Ryan
• Ghim, Doug
• Gligic, Michael
• Glover, Lucas
• Gómez, Fabián
• Goya, Tano
• Grant, Brent
• Gribble, Cody
• Griffin, Ben
• Griffin, Lanto
• Guise, Danny
• Haley II, Paul
• Hall, Harry
• Hardy, Nick
• Harrington, Scott
• Hearn, David
• Herbert, Lucas
• Herman, Jim
• Hickok, Kramer
• Higgs, Harry
• Hoffman, Charley
• Hubbard, Mark
• Imada, Ryuji
• Johnson, Chase
• Johnson, Richard S
• Kang, Sung
• Kizzire, Patton
• Knox, Russell
• Koch, Greg
• Kodaira, Satoshi
• Kraft, Kelly
• Kuest, Peter
• Laird, Martin
• Lamely, Derek
• Landry, Andrew
• Lebioda, Hank
• Lingmerth, David
• Lipsky, David
• List, Luke
• Long, Adam
• Lower, Justin
• Malnati, Peter
• Martin, Ben
• McGirt, William
• McGreevy, Max
• McNeil, George
• Merritt, Troy
• Moore, Ryan
• Noh, S.Y.
• Noren, Alex
• Norlander, Henrik
• Novak, Andrew
• Núñez, Augusto
• O'Hair, Sean
• Overton, Jeff
• Palmer, Ryan
• Pan, C.T.
• Pendrith, Taylor
• Percy, Cameron
• Piercy, Scott
• Points, D.A.
• Potter, Jr., Ted
• Ramey, Chad
• Redman, Doc
• Riley, Davis
• Roy, Kevin
• Roy, Scott
• Schmid, Matti
• Schwab, Matthias
• Scott, Adam
• Sims, Michael
• Smalley, Alex
• Smotherman, Austin
• Stadler, Keving
• Stanley, Kyle
• Streb, Robert
• Stroud, Chris
• Stuard, Brian
• Todd, Brendon
• Trahan, DJ
• Trainer, Martin
• Tway, Kevin
• Uresti, Omar
• Van Pelt, Bo
• Villegas, Camilo
• Walker, Jimmy
• Watney, Nick
• Werbylo, Trevor
• Werenski, Richy
• West, Eric
• Westmoreland, Kyle
• Whaley, Vince
• Wilshire, Kyle
• Wu, Brandon
• Wu, Dylan
• Yu, Kevin
• Yuan, Carl
• Zhang, Andy

Cameron Smith managed to hold off his Ripper GC teammate, Marc Leishman and 4 Aces', Patrick Reed, with Smith carding a final round 68 to claim a second LIV Golf title and first trophy since the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship in November 2022.

The individual tournament had been exciting to watch, but it was also the team portion where attention was turned as 4 Aces GC, Ripper GC and Stinger GC battled it out. But, despite winning the individual portion, it was Smith who missed his final putt on the 18th, which meant his Rippers' side missed out to the 4 Aces by a single shot.

Beginning on Sunday, it was the Australian who held a three-shot lead over his fellow countryman Leishman. However, out the gate that advantage was reduced quickly, with players scoring well early on.

Smith, though, fired back and, going into the back nine, he had managed to recover his three shot lead from the start of the day. Soon though, Smith was joined by Reed who was making his typical Sunday charge, with the American carding six birdies in an eight hole run from the eighth to the 15th.

Reed was still a few shots back off Smith but, at the par 5 15th, the Australian opened the door slightly as he pulled his tee shot left into the trees. Luckily, his ball came to rest just to the right of them and, after parring both 15 and 16, he made a birdie at the par 3 17th to sit two shots clear with Reed playing the last.

If Reed had birdied the 18th then Smith may have been slightly more nervous but, after the American made par, it gave the Australian some breathing space, a good thing after he found the bunker with a wedge for his third shot. Although he splashed out to under six-feet, Smith couldn't convert, with his putt sliding just by on the right side.

Picking up the individual title, Smith's Ripper GC side, who he captains, missed out on a playoff with Dustin Johnson's 4 Aces. The American trio of Reed, Pat Perez and Johnson shot rounds of six, five and four-under to scoop yet another team title. 

In the Ripper GC camp, Leishman, Smith and Jed Morgan carded rounds of five, three and two-under, but their efforts weren't enough as they came up a shot shy. Along with the two teams, Stinger GC's Louis Oosthuizen, Dean Burmester and Branden Grace fired a seven-under round for a 29-under team total to finish five shots back of the 4 Aces.

It's the final Major of the year and the most historic in golf as the 151st Open Championship takes place at Royal Liverpool on July 20-23.

And it's also a final chance to see all of the best players in the world battling against each other as players from the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf will all compete at Hoylake.

There's still no Official World Golf Ranking points available for the 54-hole, shotgun start tournaments in the LIV Golf League, but with Major champions among their ranks and a host of top performers before the split in golf there will still be a decent group from LIV.

And the band of LIV contenders will be led of course by defending champion Cameron Smith, who joined Greg Norman's new tour shortly after lifting the Claret Jug at the 150th Open Championship at St Andrews last year.

Previous winners Phil Mickelson, Henrik Stenson and Louis Oosthuizen can play in the Open until they're 60, and they will be joined by fellow Major champions Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Reed.

Koepka has a fresh five-year exemption after winning this year's PGA Championship, while Johnson and DeChambeau are in the third year of their exemptions from winning the Masters and US Open respectively in 2020.

Reed is in the final year of his exemption from winning the 2018 Masters but could book a return next year with a top 10 finish at Hoylake.

Fellow LIV golfers Charl Schwartzel, Brandon Grace and Laurie Canter all secured their spot through Final Qualifying, taking the total number of LIV Golf players in the Open field to 16.

LIV Golfers who are in the Open Championship

• Abraham Ancer
• Brooks Koepka
• Bryson DeChambeau
• Cam Smith
• Dustin Johnson
• Henrik Stenson
• Joaquin Niemann
• Louis Oosthuzien
• Patrick Reed
• Phil Mickelson
• Richard Bland
• Talor Gooch
• Thomas Pieters
• Charl Schwartzel
• Brandon Grace
• Laurie Canter

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Team USA Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson says nothing has changed in terms of LIV Golf players "technically" still being eligible to be selected for his team - while praising Brooks Koepka's "extremely impressive" bid to qualify.

Although LIV Golf players were suspended from the PGA Tour, their membership of the PGA of America remained and therefore they've always been eligible to qualify for the Ryder Cup.

The new peace deal between the PGA Tour and Saudi Public Investment Fund does not change things as far as Johnson is concerned.

Koepka looks certain to qualify but the likes of Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, Talor Gooch and even Patrick Reed must stand a better chance of getting captain's picks if the PGA Tour is not at war with LIV.

And Johnson says that nothing has changed as far as he's concerned, saying that LIV players are still eligible for selection.

"These guys that left the PGA Tour that had status and left to play on that other tour, the LIV Tour, they're still members of the PGA of America, so they are still able to garner points," said Johnson at the John Deere Classic.

"They're able to play in the PGA Championship as a result because that's what the PGA of America runs. Obviously, technically, can still be a part of Team USA."

As for what this new deal will look like, Johnson is as much in the dark as the rest of the golfing world - but still sees it as a PGA Tour issue and nothing to do with Ryder Cup qualification.

"What's transpired, there's still a lot of unknowns," he added. "I think we have a pretty good idea as to what the intentions and motivations are for the PGA Tour.

"But when it comes to the Ryder Cup, our system, if you will, was already intact arguably last year even when we decided as a Ryder Cup committee as to how we wanted to navigate the landscape.

"My point in saying that is that what's transpiring in professional golf from a competitive level, competition level, is PGA Tour; right? It's not PGA of America. 

"So the individuals that are Americans that play on other tours that are not the PGA Tour, they could play, I mean, technically the Latin Tour or the Asian Tour or wherever. 

"More times than not they're going to be members of the PGA of America for a number of reasons."

'Extremely impressive' Koepka close to qualifying

Johnson has previously said he doesn't watch LIV Golf so perhaps their players may struggle to get in his thinking for wildcard picks.

Koepka, though, has powered up the USA Ryder Cup standings with his Major performances - looking a nailed-on qualifier now after finishing second at the Masters then winning the PGA Championship.

"Brooks is third on the list. The top six earn their berth after the BMW," said Johnson.

"So after that Sunday the top six are solidified, and then we make our six picks. The next week is the Tour Championship. The Tuesday after the Tour Championship is when I make the picks.

"We'll formulate 12 by then, but he has worked his way - he worked his way to second after the PGA Championship because of how well he played at the Masters and at the PGA Championship. The Majors kind of last year too, but they were smaller in points.

"He is third now after Wyndham Clark has had a nice little run. He has a really good chance of making the team, earning his way on the team, which is extremely impressive."

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Whilst Daniel Hillier secured his first title on the DP World Tour at The Belfry, Talor Gooch was claiming a third LIV trophy at an equally historic venue, with the American birdieing the 54th hole for a one shot win over Crushers GC Captain, Bryson DeChambeau.

Throughout Sunday, it was mostly a two-horse race between Gooch and DeChambeau, but other big names had been lurking, such as Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed. However, it was Range Goats GC's Gooch who held his nerve, with four birdies on the back nine, including two on the 17th and 18th, that gave him a hat-trick of LIV Golf titles.

After firing a near course record 63 on Saturday, it was DeChambeau who led the field going into the final day. Looking for his first LIV Golf title, he started well, with the 29-year-old carding two birdies and a bogey to get his front nine underway.

In the case of Gooch, he could only birdie and bogey the sixth and ninth, as he headed into the back nine two shots behind his fellow countryman. The American though would birdie the 10th and, following yet another birdie at the 13th, it was all-square as we headed into the final few holes at Valderrama.

Pars followed at the 14th, 15th and 16th, with the par 5 17th conjuring up yet more drama, especially when DeChambeau pulled his drive left and Gooch found the fairway.

DeChambeau, though, played a stunning shot from the trees and, after both two-putted for birdie, it was the dogleg right-to-left 18th hole that would ultimately decide things. Once again, off the tee, it was advantage Gooch, as he found the fairway and DeChambeau found the trees.

Whilst Gooch struck a 6-iron to 15-feet, DeChambeau did well to find the rough at the back of the green. Hitting his chip to within a few feet, Gooch would need to hole his birdie putt for the win and, striking the ball, that's exactly what he did, as it rolled end-over-end into the bottom of the cup for a third LIV title and an increase of his lead in the individual standings.

Along with Gooch, there was also a third win for Torque GC, with Joaquin Niemann, Sebastian Munoz, David Puig and Mito Pereira securing the $3 million top prize. Leading from the front, both Niemann and Munoz carded three-under rounds whilst Puig produced a two-under 69. Their great golf gave them a five shot victory over the Range Goats GC, with Torque closing in on the 4 Aces in the overall team standings.

Martin Kaymer says LIV Golf players should be allowed to play in the Ryder Cup in the future, but admitted Europe shouldn’t make a late change for this year as “there’s too much chaos anyway” in the current men’s game.

The PGA Tour and Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) may have agreed a deal to try and bring men’s golf back together again, but for now Ryder Cup qualification remains a headache.

European captain Luke Donald is moving forward towards Rome without any LIV Golf involvement – meaning the likes of Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood will play no part on or off the course at Marco Simone later this year.

The waters are a bit muddier for Zach Johnson with Brooks Koepka looking nailed-on to finish in the automatic qualifying spots in the Team USA Ryder Cup standings, while Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and even Patrick Reed could press their cases with strong showings at the Open next month.

And Kaymer, forever written into Ryder Cup folklore as the man who finished off the Miracle of Medinah in 2012, would like to see LIV Golf players included in future events – even though for this year at least there’s “too much chaos” to change European plans this late in the day.

“I think this year nothing should change, if you ask me. There’s too much chaos anyway, obviously the US team is their own thing,” said Kaymer.

“But, going forward, it would be nice for the golf fans and us players who want to play against the best players from both continents and I think it shouldn’t matter where you play, whether it is LIV, DP World, PGA Tour.”

Kaymer wants golfers from all tours to be eligible for future Ryder Cup, but accepts it’s too late to change things for Europe now – which includes quashing any talk of Henrik Stenson being included after the Swede lost the captaincy after switching to LIV.

“Wherever you play, you should be eligible for the Ryder Cup if you’re good enough,” Kaymer added. “This year it should stay the way it is because imagine the chaos that would come out if Henrik Stenson was being picked! 

“For the future I think the fans want to see the best players competing and that would be my way forward.”

McDowell hopeful of Ryder Cup return

McDowell, another man to grab the winning point in the Ryder Cup as he completed the 2010 success at Celtic Manor, agrees with Kaymer about the best players qualifying regardless of where they play.

And although he's not playing well enough right now, he thinks he could play his way back into future Ryder Cups.

"I’m not playing well enough to be considered for the 12 places," said McDowell. "Do I believe I can play in the future? Yes, I believe I’m good enough to be out there. 

"Would I like to be in Rome to help Luke Donald out? Of course I would love to be there. There’s too much water under the bridge regarding the prep which Luke and his backroom staff have done and we wish them well. 

"Do I think there are any players on LIV good enough to play on the European Ryder Cup team? Yes, I do think there are a couple of guys and we’ll have to see how it all shakes out. 

"I think it should be the 12 best European players against the 12 best US players. In the end, it doesn’t matter where they play.”

Keegan Bradley says he’s “still got a lot to show the captain” after his home victory at the Travelers Championship catapulted him right into the thick of the race for the automatic spots in the Team USA Ryder Cup standings.

Bradley’s second win of the wraparound PGA Tour season vaulted him up 13 places in the Ryder Cup standings into seventh place – just one outside of the top six that get automatic places on Zach Johnson’s team for Rome.

The 37-year-old also rose up into No.18 in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), which is his highest mark since 2014 – the year he made his second Ryder Cup appearance in his last outing for Team USA in any team event.

And Bradley is determined to get back onto Team USA as they look to win on European soil for the first time in 30 years – turning his attention to it immediately after his Travelers win.

"It is the first thing I said to my wife walking up to sign my card: This is a pretty big step towards (Ryder Cup qualification)," said Bradley after winning the Travelers.

"I'm 37 years old. I hope to play in multiple more. I don't know how many more with everybody so good and the younger kids, just the team is incredible."

The 2011 PGA Championship winner’s resurgence offers Johnson yet another option, but in a way adds to his selection headache with so many players pushing for inclusion.

Johnson already has the LIV Golf scenario to deal with – Brooks Koepka looks pretty safe in the third automatic spot, with a strong finish at the Open probably tying up his place, while Scottie Scheffler and Wyndham Clark also look locked in.

It’s a scramble for the other three automatic spots though and the six captain’s picks could be tricky with Dustin Johnson wanting to play and having that brilliant perfect record at Whistling Straits in 2021 – he’d be tough to leave out.

You could also throw in Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Reed from LIV Golf, while among those currently outside of the automatic spots are Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Rickie Fowler, Tony Finau, Cameron Young and Sam Burns.

Bradley wouldn’t have been too high up on Johnson’s list for wildcards, but if he continues his form and manages to qualify or just falls short, he’ll have to also be thrown into what is a crowded mix for places.

Bradley has had mixed experiences in his two Ryder Cups, making a huge splash in 2012 despite the Americans suffering that huge upset defeat in the Miracle of Medinah comeback by Europe.

A splendid partnership with Phil Mickelson saw them win all three of their matches, before Bradley lost to Rory McIlroy in that epic Sunday singles.

Qualifying for 2012, Bradley was then a wildcard pick for captain Tom Watson at Gleneagles in 2014, where he went 1-2 and lost the decisive singles match against Jamie Donaldson – so he’ll be keen to get back in the side to put that record straight.

In a thrilling finale to the 123rd US Open, it was Wyndham Clark who picked up his first Major title as he overcame World No.3, Rory McIlroy, by one shot at Los Angeles Country Club.

Despite mixed reactions to the golf course from fellow professionals, LACC certainly delivered a fantastic final day, with 29-year-old Clark firing a level-par final round to claim a second title in just four starts and, with it, a paycheck for $3.6 million.

Prior to the event, USGA CEO, Mike Whan, revealed that the tournament purse would be $20 million, the first time a Major championship has passed that landmark. Consequently, in LA, the top 38 players secured six and seven-figure sums, with Clark securing the biggest payday of them all.

Take a look at the full tournament payout below: 

US Open Prize Money Breakdown 2023

Rickie Fowler and Wyndham Clark will be in the final pairing of the 2023 US Open for round 4 at Los Angeles Country Club. The tee times are over an hour earlier than yesterday, so as to be able to fit in a play-off if required.

Many eyes will be on Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler, the world number 3 and number 1 respectively, are paired together in the penultimate group.

The winner of the event looks set to come from one of those four men, but there are some big names lurking, including Dustin Johnson, Xander Schauffele and Bryson DeChambeau, all of whom are in the late starters.

See full tee times below.

US Open Tee Times Round 4 - Sunday Day 4

Times in PDT/EST/BST

• 8.23am/11.23am/4.23pm - Ryo Ishikawa
• 8.34am/11.34am/4.34pm - Patrick Reed, Jacob Solomon
• 8.45am/11.45am/4.45pm - Adam Svensson, Maxwell Modovan (a)
• 8.56am/11.56am/4.56pm - Ben Carr (a), David Puig
• 9.07am/12.07pm/5.07pm - Romain Langasque, Aldrich Potgieter (a)
• 9.18am/12.18pm/5.18pm - Abraham Ancer, Adam Hadwin
• 9.29am/12.29pm/5.29pm - Ryan Gerard, Mackenzie Hughes
• 9.40am/12.40pm/5.40pm - Yuto Katsuragawa, Gordon Sargent (a)
• 9.51am/12.51pm/5.51pm - Jordan Smith, Sam Bennett
• 10.07am/1.07pm/6.07pm - Nick Hardy, Sebastian Munoz
• 10.18am/1.18pm/6.18pm - Charley Hoffman, Sahith Theegala
• 10.29am/1.29pm/6.29pm - Andrew Putnam, Austin Eckroat
• 10.40am/1.40pm/6.40pm - Kevin Streelman, Sergio Garcia
• 10.51am/1.51pm/6.51pm - Sam Stevens, Tommy Fleetwood
• 11.02am/2.02pm/7.02pm - Jon Rahm, Dylan Wu
• 11.13am/2.13pm/7.13pm - Gary Woodland, Denny McCarthy
• 11.24am/2.25pm/7.25pm - Billy Horschel, Patrick Rodgers
• 11.35am/2.35pm/7.35pm - Ryan Fox, Brian Harman
• 11.51am/2.51pm/7.51pm - Justin Suh, Eric Cole
• 12.02pm/3.02pm/8.02pm - Sam Burns, Keith Mitchell
• 12.13pm/3.13pm/8.13pm - Si Woo Kim, Joaquin Niemann
• 12.24pm/3.24pm/8.24pm - Brooks Koepka, Tyrrell Hatton
• 12.35pm/3.35pm/8.35pm - Cameron Young, Russell Henley
• 12.46pm/3.46pm/8.46pm - Shane Lowry, Tony Finau
• 12.57pm/3.57pm/8.57pm - Collin Morikawa, Matt Fitzpatrick
• 1.08pm/4.08pm/9.08pm - Padraig Harrington, Patrick Cantlay
• 1.19pm/4.19pm/9.19pm - Min Woo Lee, Viktor Hovland
• 1.35pm/4.35pm/9.35pm - Hideki Matsuyama, Cameron Smith
• 1.46pm/4.36pm/9.46pm - Bryson DeChambeau, Tom Kim
• 1.57pm/4.57pm/9.57pm - Ryutaro Nagano, Xander Schauffele
• 2.08pm/5.08pm/10.08pm - Dustin Johnson, Harris English
• 2.19pm/5.19pm/10.19pm - Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy
• 2.30pm/5.30pm/10.30pm - Rickie Fowler, Wyndham Clark

Olympic spirit was high when golf's return to one of the biggest sporting events in the world was announced after more than a 100-year absence.

Not since 1904 in St. Louis had golfers battled it out for the fabled gold medal, before Peter Dawson and Ty Vatow, president and vice president of the International Golf Federation (IGF) respectively at the time, led the argument for the sport to be reinstated. 

And in 2009, the International Olympic Committee voted in favour of golf's bid and confirmed it would be part of the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro.

"It's the end of a long journey, or the beginning of a new one," Dawson said, after the first tee shot was struck at the Olympic Golf Course in Brazil's capital city.

The field for both the men's and women's competition was limited to 60 players and based on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR). Specifically, the top 15 in the rankings at the cutoff point were eligible, although each country was limited to a maximum of four players.

Outside the top 15, a maximum of two from each country that didn't already have two or more representatives then qualified until the field was set. Competition was particularly tough to make Team USA. Americans have long dominated the world rankings, but in the end, Matt Kuchar, Bubba Watson, Patrick Reed and Rickie Fowler suited up for the stars and stripes.

Kuchar finished highest of the American contingent in the 72-hole stroke play shootout, clinching the bronze medal behind Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson who took gold and silver respectively, but the event seemed to take on particular significance for Fowler. He marked the occasion by getting a tattoo of the iconic Olympic rings on his right forearm.

Fowler finished in a tie for 37th at level par, alongside Danny Willett and 13 shots out of the medals, but will always be able to say he represented his country on arguably the grandest stage in all of sport.

During the Games, Fowler was pictured hanging out with fellow athletes from other sports and even got an Olympics-themed haircut. Former Olympic diver Sam Dorman, who won a silver medal in Rio, tweeted "Forever Olympians @RickieFowler" after the pair got inked with matching tattoos.

But Fowler wasn't the only American to get a permanent reminder of his Olympics experience. Lexi Thompson, who finished in a tie for 19th in 2016 and 33rd at the 2021 Tokyo Games, also got a commemorative tattoo on her left wrist, as can be seen below.

For all the money the biggest names in golf now play for, especially on the men's side, it shows that there are some things that can't be measured in zeros in a bank account. 

As the US Open gets underway there will be golf fans around the world putting bets on players who could lift the trophy at the end of the week. Within the field, there are a number of the top players who might claim the third men's Major of the year, with Brooks Koepka just one of those individuals.

Certainly, going into the tournament it'll be hard not to bet against the American, with Koepka finishing second at the Masters in April before securing a third PGA Championship. However, that is exactly what one individual has done, with one punter putting a bet of $27,600 on Koepka to not win the US Open! 

At Los Angeles Country Club, Koepka has the chance to claim a sixth Major and third US Open but, according to Prophet Exchange co-founder, Jake Benzaquen: "Large bet we took just now: One user bet $27,600 on Brooks Koepka NOT to win the US Open. The bet would pay $1,705 if Brooks loses."

The odds of this are -1600 (1/16) and, for context, Koepka is +1100 (11/1) to actually win at LACC this week. He wasn't the favourite though before play got underway, with World No.1 Scottie Scheffler just +700 (7/1) to pick up yet another title in 2023.

It's not the first time that we have seen some large bets put on Major championships. Back in 2019, one unidentified punter bet $85,000 dollars, in Las Vegas, all on Tiger Woods to win the 2019 Masters. Famously, the American won a fifth Green Jacket, with the lucky punter securing a $1.2 million payday!

Another sizeable bet came the year prior to Tiger's, when one punter almost won £108,000 off £5. In the treble bet, the individual predicted Haotong Li to win the Dubai Desert Classic at odds of +10000 (100/1), with Jason Day then claiming the Farmers Insurance Open at odds of +2000 (20/1).

Unfortunately, Rory McIlroy, who was the third part of the bet, was unable to secure the Masters in 2018 as he finished in a tie for fifth, with Patrick Reed picking up his first Major title by a shot. McIlroy's odds at the time were +900 (9/1).

Every year Forbes, the global media company that focuses on finance, industry, investing, and marketing, releases various lists around the money within sport and, recently, they revealed the top 18 highest-paid golfers for 2023.

Given the news around LIV Golf and the reported signing-on fees that players have been offered, as well as the prize money available, it's no surprise to see players from the Saudi-backed circuit dominate with six featuring inside the top 10.

Obviously, given the news of the recent merger between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Public Investment Fund, it is unclear as to what the future holds for professional golf but, with the new list revealed, it's certainly clear that golfers are earning the biggest paydays of their careers.

According to Forbes, upfront payments from LIV boosted the earnings of the 18 highest-paid golfers by more than $500 million, with hundreds of millions more coming on the backend if the guarantees are fully paid out. Such is the money involved, the combined amount of the highest earners reached just shy of $1.1 billion, with the value of the top 10 rising 16% since the 2022 figures were released.

Topping the list for 2023 is Dustin Johnson, who made an estimated $111 million, with $106 million of that being on-course earnings and the remaining $5 million being off-course. Certainly, after LIV Golf's debut in 2022, Johnson was the biggest earner, with the American scooping $35 million over the eight tournament series.

Such was the success of Johnson, he actually finished sixth in the highest paid athlete list, with seven golfers featuring inside the top 20. The next highest paid golfer, was Phil Mickelson, who secured $107 million, with $105 million of that coming from on-course earnings. It's worth noting that, last year, Lefty finished top of both the highest paid golfer and athlete list with $138 million.

Grabbing the final podium spot is Rory McIlroy, who secured $80 million for 2023. Rather conveniently it was a 50/50 split in on and off-course earnings, with the Northern Irishman picking up $40 million in both. 

After McIlroy is Brooks Koepka and Cameron Smith, with 15-time Major winner, Tiger Woods sitting in sixth position. Woods made $75 million, with $60 million of that coming in off-course earnings. To round out the top 10, Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Reed sit in seventh and eighth, with Jon Rahm and Scottie Scheffler completing the line-up.

Outside of the top 10, we see LIV players dominate again, as six of the remaining 8 ply their trade in the league. In 11th spot is Jordan Spieth with $47 million and, in the 18th and final spot is Xander Schauffele, who earned $33 million.

Between the two Americans are Sergio Garcia ($47 million), Joaquin Niemann ($43 million), Talor Gooch ($41 million), Abraham Ancer ($39 million), Bubba Watson ($39 million) and Branden Grace ($34 million).

FORBES' HIGHEST-PAID GOLFERS 2023

The Ryder Cup may still be four months off, but talk of who will make the teams is hotting up, especially with qualification for the biennial contest having been affected by a number of players defecting to LIV Golf.

The United States proved too strong for Padraig Harrington’s men at Whistling Straits two years ago, after which discussions soon began about whether Europe would be better off with a younger team and fresh faces for this year's battle in Rome, which begins on September 29. 

At that time, there was no reason to think the qualification procedure would be different to any other year, but this was pre LIV Golf, and the emergence of the new circuit has put an end to some players’ Ryder Cup careers.

TEAM USA QUALIFICATION

Zach Johnson, the US team captain, is currently in a position to pick LIV players, which includes recent PGA Championship winner Brooks Koepka, as well as Major champions Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson.

Koepka joined LIV last summer and, like his fellow LIV competitors, it’s meant that he has been unable to play in PGA Tour events. However, he remains a member of the PGA of America, and the Majors offer such players from the Saudi-backed circuit the opportunity to earn qualification points.

"If you go second, first, first, first, it would be kind of tough not to (get a) pick, right?" said Koepka, whose fifth Major Championship victory catapulted the former world number one into second on the US Ryder Cup qualification standings.

"If you go handle business, I feel like I should be fine. I just play my best and see what happens from there, but I would love to play for him [Zach Johnson]."

Players earn one point for every $1,000 made in a PGA Tour event and two points per $1,000 won at Majors, with the top six players in the standings after the BMW Championship in August then automatically qualifying for Team USA.

It means Koepka – who also tied for second at The Masters in April – and his LIV colleagues will only have two more events in which to accumulate points, the US Open in June and The Open at Royal Liverpool in July. Johnson is then scheduled to name six captain's picks after the Tour Championship (August 24-27).

European Qualification

The qualification campaign for Europe began last autumn and runs through until this September, when three automatic qualifiers from the European Points List and the same number from the World Points List joining six captain's picks to make up Luke Donald's team.

The selection process for the skipper was made a little clearer when a number of European players resigned from the DP World Tour last month, which immediately made them ineligible to pull on the blue and gold colors and represent the team.

Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia and Ian Poulter, all Ryder Cup stalwarts, will not be playing for Donald at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club this coming September, having made the decision to quit the DP World Tour.

Henrik Stenson also resigned, but the Swede waved goodbye to his chances of being involved in the Ryder Cup when he joined LIV Golf last year, after which he was removed as Europe's captain. 

However, there is still a possibility that Donald could have LIV players on his team, as not everyone has walked away from the DP World Tour. With limited access to world ranking events, though, it’s looking very unlikely that anyone would grab an automatic spot.

That leaves the question of captain’s picks. Could Donald be tempted to go for a Paul Casey or Thomas Pieters, both still DP World Tour members? Johnson, too, is likely to face a similar kind of dilemma with his picks. 

All will be revealed in the coming months. 

In May, Brooks Koepka became the first current LIV Golf player to win a Major after surging to victory at Oak Hill Country Club to take the PGA Championship title. In doing so, he went a long way towards making a mockery of suggestions LIV Golf players would struggle to compete in tournaments with a supposedly higher intensity.

Ever since the rebel circuit was formed, a number of players who have opted to join it have been accused of being past their prime – or in it just for the payday. However, as well as Koepka's performance in the Major, he also finished runner-up with fellow LIV Golfer Phil Mickelson at The Masters at Augusta National. Meanwhile, several other players from the circuit have played well in the showpiece events too.

Koepka's latest PGA Championship win was his fifth Major title, and he’s clearly one of the hottest players on the planet right now. Not surprisingly, he will tee it up in the US Open.

He's far from the only LIV Golf player in the field for the third Major of the year at Los Angeles Country Club, either. In total, 15 players have qualified for the tournament in California, which takes place between 15 and 18 June, including six-time runner-up Phil Mickelson, 2020 winner Bryson DeChambeau and Open champion Cameron Smith.

While some secured their place in the field well in advance of the Major, others had to do it the hard way, through qualifying. Sergio Garcia reached his 24th consecutive US Open via that means, and he was joined by Carlos Ortiz, Sebastian Munoz and David Puig after their successes in final qualifying.

Not everyone has been so lucky. Graeme McDowell, for example, who won the US Open in 2010, missed out on a playoff by a single stroke. The Cleeks GC player teed it up in Dallas at the same time as Garcia, but the former Ryder Cup star played the last 11 holes in three over to come up agonisingly short.

Nevertheless, LIV Golf is still represented by plenty of talent in the Major. Who's to say another won't claim the trophy by Sunday evening?

Here is the full list of LIV Golf players at the US Open.

LIV GOLF PLAYERS AT THE 2023 US OPEN

• Abraham Ancer
• Bryson DeChambeau
• Sergio Garcia
• Dustin Johnson
• Martin Kaymer
• Brooks Koepka
• Phil Mickelson
• Sebastian Munoz
• Joaquin Niemann
• Carlos Ortiz
• Mito Pereira
• Thomas Pieters
• David Puig
• Patrick Reed
• Cameron Smith

Phil Mickelson has claimed that LIV Golf is the best circuit for players hoping to be competitive in the Majors because of its lighter schedule than alternatives.

The LIV Golf season is played over just 14 tournaments and that's a quality the six-time Major winner thinks works in LIV Golf’s favour when it comes to the year’s four showpiece tournaments. 

He wrote on Twitter: “Love LIV or hate it, it’s the best way/Tour to be your best in the majors. Enough events to keep you sharp, fresh and ready, yet not be worn down from too many tournaments or obligations. 14 LIV events, 34 weeks left open to prepare for the 4 majors. Fact.”

There is plenty of evidence to suggest Mickelson has a valid point. Before the first Major of the year, The Masters at Augusta National, many wrote off the chances of LIV Golf players, claiming they would not be at their best with fewer tournaments and the perception that the events on the circuit lacked the intensity of those elsewhere.

Mickelson was one of several LIV Golf players who made a mockery of that argument when he finished tied for second with another player on the circuit, Brooks Koepka. Not far beneath them on the leaderboard was another LIV Golf player, Patrick Reed, who finished tied for fourth.

Any thoughts that would be a flash in the pan were well and truly debunked in the PGA Championship when, this time, Koepka went all the way to the title at Oak Hill Country Club, while fellow LIV Golf players Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Smith also finished in the top 10.

Of course, there are still two Majors to go, with next month’s US Open at Los Angeles Country Club and July’s Open Championship at Royal Liverpool sure to offer different challenges to the players than the two that have taken place so far.

However, considering a current LIV Golf player has just won the Major with arguably the strongest field of all, there’s every reason to think its players will perform well in the ones that remain, regardless of how much the LIV Golf schedule has to do with it.

Bryson DeChambeau has enjoyed a welcome return to form over the past month, with the American producing his best result in a Major Championship since his victory at the 2020 US Open.

At the PGA Championship, the American carded rounds of 66, 71, 70 and 70 to finish in a tie for fourth, and six shots back of his fellow LIV player, Brooks Koepka. Following the tournament, DeChambeau was rightfully feeling good about not just his performance, but also those from the LIV Golf circuit, with the 29-year-old hoping the last two Major championships have shown that they're not there to make up the numbers.

"It validates everything we’ve said from the beginning," stated DeChambeau in an exclusive interview with Sports Illustrated. "We’re competing at the highest level. And we have the ability to win Major championships.

"I really hope people can see the light now that we’re trying to provide golf with something new and fresh. At the end of the day, both sides are going to have to come together at some point. It’s for the good of the game."

DeChambeau, who will be one of the 11 LIV players featuring at the next Major championship, the US Open, finished with the words: "We’ve got a lot of great players out there," with the American now turning his attention to LIV's next event at Trump National Golf Club Washington DC.

Over the past two Major championships, LIV players have featured heavily in contention. At the Masters in April, Koepka, Phil Mickelson and Patrick Reed finished inside the top 4, with Koepka, DeChambeau and Champion Golfer of the Year, Cameron Smith, all part of the top 10 at Oak Hill.

Along with DeChambeau, champion Koepka also added: "I definitely think it helps LIV, but I'm more interested in my own self right now, to be honest with you. Yeah, it's a huge thing for LIV, but at the same time I'm out here competing as an individual at the PGA Championship. I'm just happy to take this home for the third time."

Rickie Fowler joined Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton and Patrick Reed on the list of 25 players who qualified for the US Open through various criteria that were met after the conclusion of the PGA Championship.

Fowler missed the cut at Oak Hill but thanks to being No.52 in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) he sneaks in as the top 60 qualify for the US Open at Los Angeles Country Club next month.

The 34-year-old has played in the US Open 11 times but not since 2020, with his best finish being a runner-up spot in 2014 – the year he finished with top fives in all four Majors.

After a tough few years, Fowler looks to be heading in the right direction once again and he remains one of the biggest draws on the PGA Tour and a firm fan favourite.

Joining Fowler in the field are English duo Fleetwood and Hatton, along with Alex Noren – who sneaked in via the last spot on the rankings as he currently sits in 60th.

Five players qualified through their position in the FedEx Cup standings, with Jason Day, Wyndham Clark, Kurt Kitayama, Si Woo Kim and Chris Kirk booking their spot in LA.

Victor Perez and Adrian Meronk made it in via their places in the latest Race to Dubai standings, while Ryan Fox is now officially exempt as the top player on the 2022 Race To Dubai who had not already qualified.

Reed leads the LIV Golf contingent to have qualified via the OWGR ranking, with Abraham Ancer, Thomas Pieters and Mito Pereira joining him in the US Open field.

Latest qualifiers for the US Open following the PGA Championship:

• Abraham Ancer
• Wyndham Clark
• Cam Davis
• Jason Day
• Harris English
• Tommy Fleetwood
• Rickie Fowler
• Ryan Fox
• Tyrrell Hatton
• Russell Henley
• Lucas Herbert
• Si Woo Kim
• Chris Kirk
• Kurt Kitayama
• Matt Kuchar
• Adrian Meronk
• Keith Mitchell
• Taylor Moore
• Alex Noren
• Mito Pereira
• Victor Perez
• Thomas Pieters
• Seamus Power
• Patrick Reed
• Adam Svensson

Brooks Koepka sealed his fifth Major title and third Wanamaker Trophy at Oak Hill to mark a monumental moment in the game and for LIV Golf.

After his and Phil Mickelson's T2nd finishes at The Masters, Koepka won the PGA Championship by two strokes to become the first LIV player to win a Major whilst signed to the league.

Could LIV players still play 72-hole events? Are they washed up? Those were just a couple of questions asked prior to Major season and Koepka well and truly answered them at Oak Hill.

The LIV CEO Greg Norman congratulated Koepka and praised his players. "As for the @livgolf_league players they belong and the Majors and golf knows," the Australian wrote on Twitter.

In second-place on the LIV Golf leaderboard was Bryson DeChambeau, who recorded a T4th finish at three-under-par. He was two ahead of Cameron Smith at one-under, with the trio of Koepka, DeChambeau and Smith all featuring inside the top 10.

At Augusta last month, 12 of the 18 made the cut and 11 of the 16 LIV players have made the cut this week at Oak Hill. The five players to miss the weekend were Brendan Steele, Anirban Lahiri, Joaquin Niemann, Talor Gooch - who now looks set to miss the US Open - and Abraham Ancer.

Take a look at how all of the LIV players got on at the 2023 PGA Championship:

LIV Golf final leaderboard at the PGA Championship

• 1st: Brooks Koepka -9
• T4th: Bryson DeChambeau -3
• T9th: Cameron Smith -1
• T18th: Mito Pereira, Patrick Reed +2
• T29th: Harold Varner III +5
• T40th: Thomas Pieters +6
• 54th: Dean Burmester +8
• T55th: Dustin Johnson +9
• T58th: Phil Mickelson +10
• T62nd: Sihwan Kim +11
• CUT LINE
• Brendan Steele +6
• Anirban Lahiri +7
•  Joaquin Niemann +8
• Talor Gooch +10
• Abraham Ancer +11

Zach Johnson largely sidestepped questions about whether he’d select any LIV Golf players for his USA Ryder Cup team this year, saying the decision is “not on my radar right now.”

A huge question hanging over Johnson is whether he would select LIV Golf players like Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Reed for the Ryder Cup.

Those playing for Greg Norman’s new tour, although eligible, would likely require a wildcard unless they produce some stellar showings in the Majors to make enough points and finish in the top six.

And while it seems unlikely a player like Reed or DeChambeau would be any good for the team room, Koepka and to a larger extent Johnson seem universally liked by the players still on the PGA Tour and could slip right in.

And while Luke Donald now has clarity with European stalwarts Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia and Henrik Stenson resigning, Johnson is still facing those awkward questions.

Questions the Team USA captain largely sidestepped at the PGA Championship by insisting his wildcard picks were “not even a discussion item” right now, but did admit that the six automatic qualifiers will have their say, adding he’ll let “those guys that make it on merit help me formulate my team.”

The captain does seem open to LIV Golf players taking part, but hinted he’d not spoken to either his namesake Dustin Johnson or Koepka – and it seems they’ll find it hard to impress him unless it’s in the Majors.

“Really difficult for me to judge,” Johnson added. “I don't know the golf courses they're playing. Never seen them. I'm not there on foot in person.

“I get to see them, I guess, technically three or four weeks a year, this year. So that part is difficult, but you're talking about a number of guys that are my friends. I would fully embrace the opportunity to speak with them if they want to chat with me. That would be amazing.

“I'm an open book. They can call me. They have my number, et cetera, et cetera. I'm not going to sit here and say that I'm shutting that down. I am fully in as the Ryder Cup captain for the Team USA and whatever that looks like.

And on Dustin Johnson’s chances, he added: “You're talking about an individual whose resume is extremely deep and wide. He's certainly in my generation one of the best players I've ever competed against, but it's not fair for me to guess his true form or anybody's true form that I can't witness.”

He had a similar message for Koepka despite his Masters display: “He played really good that one week, but it's one week. I don't want to sit here and say that it's concrete, it's the only thing we're going to be looking at.

“It's one week, at a major venue, at the Masters tournament. He played great. There's still a lot of golf between now and then.”