Patrick Reed’s PGA return confirms a growing shift we’ve been calling for months.
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Trey Wingo breaks down why Reed’s decision to leave LIV and return to the PGA Tour is the clearest signal yet that the balance of power in professional golf is shifting. This isn’t about one player. It’s about momentum, competition, and what happens when elite athletes realize money alone doesn’t replace the crucible.
We told you in December that Brooks Koepka wanting back was the beginning. Now Patrick Reed has followed. And once one goes, another goes — that’s how this always works.
Trey walks through:
– Why Reed’s return matters more than people realize
– How LIV’s structure fails true competitors over time
– Why measuring yourself against the best still matters more than guaranteed money
– The growing spotlight now on Bryson DeChambeau and others still under LIV contracts
– And why this moment feels less like a surprise — and more like the tip of the iceberg
There’s a reason Reed’s statement emphasized tradition, legacy, and where his story began. There’s a reason Brooks openly said he wants to compete against Rory and Scottie again. And there’s a reason LIV players suddenly sound far less enthusiastic when asked about the future.
LIV isn’t disappearing tomorrow. But ships don’t sink all at once. They take on water compartment by compartment — until it’s too late to stop it.
This episode isn’t about hot takes or rooting interests. It’s about reading the room, understanding incentives, and recognizing when a trend has crossed the point of no return.
Because in elite sports, competitors always tell you the truth eventually — with their actions.
And Patrick Reed just did.
34 Comments
🤣Trey is talking like Patrick Reed is a needle mover ! Bahahahaha you can have him. He blows. Nobody likes him
Livv never even got to float, too many holes in it from day one. Normnn was never " in charge " of Livv and new fake CEO isn't ' in charge ' either. Livv is left employing kids out of college and can only hope college kids will watch them.
Its a shame. The rest of the world needs a decent golf tour too. Dont know why the saudis didnt just buy the dp world tour. Also all their novelties sucked
Sour grapes much. What do you care?! 💩
LIV didn't have cuts, players were guaranteed money in every tournament. In the PGA if you miss the cut you get nothing. But that's the beauty of it, you have to actually EARN your money, and you also have to stay in the top 125 on the money list to keep your tour card. I like that because it brings a kind of purity to the sport, unlike MLB, the NHL, NFL, and NBA where they get guaranteed contracts and often underperform or get injured and don't produce. Having to actually earn your money gives you incentive to play at your very best. That's what makes golf great.
I was hoping he would stay in Saudi Arabia. I have zero use for him.
Not quite sure it’s the end of LIV (unfortunately!). Bryson and Rahm have to leave for that to happen….
If Liv gets Rasmus and Aberg then it zooms past PGA it already has best young in Puig and Ballaster!
Better players Liv PGA is a hype story ! Puig super Ballaster super Cam Smith super Sergio on still super Lotta major winners who are better players using a real metric cause every major winner played best when mattered most! Liv to me and I was around best in world alot as caddy is better golfers!!
Liv golfer🎉left PGA for the money
Patrick Reed a true grinder welcome back Ryder cup pittbull
Where are all the LIV lovers now. LIV is now a glorified retirement tour.
Why do we want him?
Still no road back for Wesley?
Life-changing money? What about their lives changed when they went to LIV? What’s the real difference between 30 million and, 75 or 100 million? Is it the size of yacht you can buy? I don’t be grudge them going for the money. All people gravitate towards the best offer. But as you’ve said, money isn’t everything. And money is not an intrinsic motivator. For these guys, obviously competition is the best motivator. In my career, it finally became about building something excellent. The money ceased to matter after I realized I was being paid fairly. You have to find what motivates you.
The word you’re looking for is “extract”
Lifetime bans BS. Taking spots from loyal PGA next generation. They took lifetime Saudi money to leave making PGA history for weekend points game. Spoiled and unhappy and now want back in. Everything a $$$$ racket. Rich getting richer. No accountability anymore. Play by rules and you lose your spot to somebody who didn’t in today’s PGA.
The end is near? Really? It’s 2 players and the pga tour isn’t making it easy to come back. Another huge point that most of these LIV haters have missed is that if it wasn’t for Phil they wouldn’t be making half the money they are now. PGA had a monopoly on golf and got exposed by LIV. Is team golf cool? Not really…would it be be cool to see all the best players and personalities back going one on one? Yes! That’s what fans want to see! PGA is butt hurt and it won’t happen. Watching most of these non signature events is like watching paint dry. Scottie is great! But is it exciting to watch? not so much. It’s not all about ability it’s also about personality that takes years to build up and have rivals on the tour. Tour has very few rivals and really only in majors. Thats why
normal events are pretty lame for the fans to watch. That kid that played well last weekend in Palm Springs was bigger news than Shef winning! How often does a young guy do that? Never! PGA needs to not be so arrogant and put a deal together with LIV for the fans. Ratings suck for non
majors and will continue without a rivalry between players. Bryson vs Rory down the stretch is awesome viewing. Sunday in Palm Springs….not so much!
LIV's not going anywhere, much to your dismay. They just signed Rolex as sponsorship partner and signed some nice PGAT and DP World Tour players in the off-season. Big names? No, but good names (Thomas Detry, Victor Perez, Elvis Smylie) and good players that add to their international golf platform. Patrick Reed was a man in the wilderness with no golfing home, which is why he opted to file to return to the PGAT. LIV did not want to resign him for what he felt he was worth and he had no contract as a result. He could have stayed and played for prize money only, which LIV events pay the most in professional men's golf, but that was insulting to him so he bolted to go back to playing for prize money only on the DP World Tour while serving his one year penalty to qualify for returning to the PGAT. Reed brought very little to LIV and was never fully invested in the league, same with Brooks. Harold Varner will be the next guy to return once his contract is up the end of this year. Everyone else is happy playing on LIV. In fact, Laurie Canter turned down playing on the PGAT this year to play on LIV instead. Another good young player from England. You don't seem to get that LIV isn't trying to compete with the PGAT. They fancy themselves more like the F1 of men's professional golf and the PGAT more like NASCAR with it's U.S. bias. Completely different tours and formats and I enjoy watching and attending both. Golf is in such a good place currently that there is room for both tours to peacefully co-exist and thrive, along with the DP World, Korn Ferry and Asian Tours. It doesn't have to be one or the other. Heck, with the PGAT becoming more of a closed shop, I'm actually going to watch more Korn Ferry events given the number of formerly exempt PGAT players that need to grind it out on the KF Tour in hopes of gaining full-time exemption on the PGAT. These tournaments could very well be more entertaining than the PGAT non-signature events. Stop bashing on LIV and embrace the fact that game of golf is so strong currently that all these disparate tours and leagues can thrive and peacefully co-exist. Oh and don't forget TGL, which is doing well also. All of this is good for the continued growth of the game and I'd hope you'd come to this realization instead of living in 2022 when the split occurred.
Can’t wait for all the Reed haters and brandel to start praising Reed. So fake.
Liv is going nowhere
cheater and greed, great combination
Dam, I'm still going to call him Pardick G.reed
Could have left Reed off the "welcome home" list….
I think you nailed it when you said, "To compete with the past." Liv does have a Arnold Palmer, a Bobby Jones, or a Golden Bear. Golf is more than a sport. Liv doesn't get that. To have your name mentioned with history is immortality, and Liv does offer that.
They sold their souls, let them stay there.
Keep Reed, everyone else is welcome to return.
all of these LIV players returning to the PGA TOUR are nothing but dead weight now…including Brooks Kaopectate!
who cares what wyndham clark says? He's presented himself as an unstable child and i think his input as a pga golfer has been downgraded to, funny enough, patrick reed.
"LIV" was chosen bc its the roman numeral for "59" and marketed that way. LIV is not an acronym to infer that they will 'live" better by playing on it. FYI my man
I would black list those players from playing in the PGA now.
Could care less if reed is coming back! The PGA doesn’t need any of those guys! The up and comers are doing just fine!
old white guy outdated point of view
Hail the return of the lie fluffer!! Lol..more cameras..that's great!