Patrick Reed is one of the two big names to jump ship from LIV Golf so far this year.
The 2018 Masters winner left the once Saudi-backed league shortly after Brooks Koepka. He decided to spend a year on the DP World Tour, then return to the PGA Tour under his past champion status once his suspension is served.
When LIV players began to eye a PGA Tour return, many wondered what the reaction from players would be.
PGA Tour players turned down eye-watering sums of money to remain loyal to the tour, so they would be right to feel a sense of injustice if LIV players were allowed to take the money and come back unpunished. But according to Koepka, PGA Tour players have been incredibly welcoming on his return.
Reed, however, has been known to ruffle some feathers over the years, and could be treated differently when he eventually comes back. But does he care?
Patrick Reed says he cares what PGA Tour players think about him
Reed has never seemed to care too much about the opinions of other golfers. When he first joined LIV Golf he had a feud with Rory McIlroy, and he has persistently rubbed players the wrong way at the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup.
It’s surprising to hear that he’s worried about the opinions of other golfers when he returns to the PGA Tour, therefore. He admitted as much to the Golf Channel before the US Open.
Reed said, “It’s always important. I felt like when I really looked at it and sat down and made the decision for what I thought was best for myself and my family to be able to come back and play on the PGA Tour, I wanted to do it the right way.
“Not just because of the membership but also because of the players. Coming back and making sure that I did my time in sitting out and coming back and earning my spot out here, rather than just coming back and be given a spot.
“I feel like, because of that and coming back the right way it kind of seems like not only the players but also the people who are part of the PGA Tour are happy to have me back.”
You’d expect Reed to come back with the complete opposite attitude, so fair play to him that he’s trying to go about this the right way.
Patrick Reed says what has improved in his game since leaving LIV Golf
Reed’s departure from LIV Golf was a surprise to many. Between him and Koepka leaving, it looked to signal the beginning of the end for the tour.
He immediately showed LIV what they were missing, winning twice on the DP World Tour in the Middle East, and putting his name in the mix at Augusta National. But since then, Reed has hardly played, and he explained his decision to sit out events to the Golf Channel.
Speaking before the US Open at Shinnecock Hills, he said, “I think the biggest thing for me is that it’s allowed me some time with the family and time to work and prepare for the majors.
“In the past, I have come into majors play ready, because of playing events leading into it, but this time and this year feels like the first time I have actually been able to work on the game and fundamentally get the swing where I wanted it. It’s a whole different approach.
“But I knew coming in after making the decision to try and come back to the PGA Tour, I knew at that point, after spacing out the schedule, that I would be having time off after Augusta and after the PGA. But I knew once the US Open it would be hitting the ground running. I will be back to my usual self, playing a lot.”
Since leaving LIV, both Koepka and Reed have played far better golf. That, in contrast with LIV players’ performances at majors since joining the tour, provides some damning evidence that playing on LIV is not good for the state of your game.
Reed went into some detail about what has improved in his game this year, adding, “I think the biggest thing is ball striking. I have hit the ball a little better.
“And I really understand what causes each golf shot, so if something goes off I am able to fix it right then and there on the golf course rather than having to grind it out and figure it out after the round.”
He’s had all the time in the world to prepare for Shinnecock, so don’t be surprised to see him grind out some scores this week.
