Patrick Reed just won the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, edging out the likes of Andy Sullivan, Julien Guerrier, and David Puig. Now, looking forward to picking up more titles in 2026, the 35-year-old was expected to make his season debut for the LIV Golf in February. However, in what was a shocking revelation from the superstar golfer himself, Reed spilled a major LIV Golf giveaway. 

“We’re still finalizing the contract. We’re not complete on that yet,” Reed said, asked about his contract situation for this year. 

Following his recent triumph, Reed was asked why he repeated the phrase, ‘supposed to be’ teeing it up in Riyadh? Immediately, the American golfer pointed out that his return to LIV is currently clouded in doubt.

Asked if he is a free agent, Reed said, “At the moment, yes, sir.” This meant that Reed’s position at the 4Aces GC is not locked yet, which might be surprising given the Saudi-backed league recently extended team captain Dustin Johnson’s contract. Reed revealed that he would go back to contract negotiations on Sunday night and Monday.

He is expected to tee off next week at the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship. Now, Reed also revealed during tournament days that he doesn’t talk about business affairs. Notably, LIV Golf Riyadh tees off on February 4. That, of course, makes these two days more crucial. Nevertheless, his not having a LIV contract is not good news for the Saudi-backed league. 

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Already, one of the mainstays of the league, Brooks Koepka, has made a somewhat smooth entry into the PGA Tour. Adding further to the narrative, Reed recently expressed his willingness to join the PGA Tour. The 35-year-old even termed the PGA Tour as the ‘best tour.’ 

“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,” said Reed previously. 

Interestingly, after the event, when asked to elaborate on what he would do if the LIV contract doesn’t go through, Reed had an unexpected yet most practical answer ever. He said, “Continue to play out here and be in the Top 10 and be on the PGA TOUR next year.”

Patrick Reed shares caddie’s stern advice after 24-year-old LIV rival closed in

The American held his nerve at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic and turned a tense final round into a four-shot win. Giving him a run for his money, one of his younger LIV Golf rivals of 24, David Puig, began to close the gap. Thankfully, despite feeling the heat, Reed decided to lean on the firm, no-nonsense advice from his caddie, Kessler Karain.

Sharing his thoughts on how he decided to buckle up as the competition started to get tougher, he added, “Instead of just keeping the foot on the gas early, I tried to protect that lead since I had a four-shot lead. And actually, you know, David [Puig]goes and birdies eight and nine and, you know, shut it down to two. And, you know, I mean, Kess [Kessler Karain] was like, hey, now it’s dogfight, now let’s get going. And he said, just go shoot under par on the back nine, no one will beat you.”

The 35-year-old started off Sunday with a comfortable four-shot lead. However, while he tumbled a little, especially with a bogey on the 11th, David Puig suddenly began to rise up on the leaderboard. Puig gained such momentum that Reed was forced to get into a defensive shell. The situation nearly cost him a multi-million-dollar payday. Much to his relief, Karain urged him to stop protecting the lead and treat the round like a fight that still needed winning.

Reed shared how he immediately decided to change his approach for the back nine. He steadied himself, avoided mistakes, and did just enough to stay ahead. The LIV Golf pro understood that playing safe wasn’t an option if he had to stick to the top position.

Reed finally managed to pull off an impeccable win by scoring 14 under par. A 40-foot eagle and seven birdies became the shining moments for him in the tournament. On the other hand, Spanish LIV golfer David Puig ended the Hero Dubai Desert Classic tied for the seventh position at 7-under par.