Patrick Reed fires back on Jon Rahm's PGA Tour return question

Patrick Reed has shared his opinion on whether Jon Rahm should be allowed to return to the PGA Tour immediately after leaving LIV Golf.

The American believes that players who earn the right to compete should be able to play, although he admitted that the final decision regarding the Spaniard will be made by PGA Tour officials.

Rahm recently confirmed that he will not be joining LIV Golf's new project for 2027.

The two-time major champion spent three seasons with the Saudi-backed league, but decided to leave after becoming unhappy with the proposed changes.

The 31-year-old is now planning to compete on the DP World Tour next season.

However, he has not completely ruled out returning to the PGA Tour, where he enjoyed a lot of success before leaving in December 2023.

Reed knows quite well what Rahm is going through, having also decided to leave LIV Golf earlier this year.

The former Masters champion has already secured his PGA Tour status for 2027 after producing several good results on the DP World Tour.

Speaking ahead of the Abu Dhabi Championship, the 36-year-old American was asked whether he would have a problem if Rahm received permission to return without serving a one-year suspension.

"That's a hard question. I definitely feel like it's something that they are going to be looking into. How they do it is up to them. But I've always been a firm believer that if you've earned the right to play, and you qualify, you can play anywhere," Reed said.

The American also admitted that he has always enjoyed competing alongside Rahm, who won the 2021 US Open and the 2023 Masters.

"Obviously with Jon's resumé and everything, it's one of those that obviously his team is going to be talking about the PGA Tour. I've always enjoyed playing with Jon. I've always been a firm believer that if you earned the right to play somewhere, you can go and play. We'll just have to wait and see," Reed added.

RAHM COULD FOLLOW KOEPKA'S EXAMPLE

Rahm's situation has attracted attention because Brooks Koepka was allowed to return to the PGA earlier this year through the Returning Member Program.

The five-time major champion accepted several financial and competitive conditions, including a $5 million charitable contribution and restrictions on certain PGA Tour benefits.

Rahm was also offered an opportunity to return through the same program in January 2026.

However, the Spaniard rejected the offer and remained with LIV Golf for the rest of the season.

His position has now changed, and he is exploring a path back.

WHAT THE RETURNING MEMBER PROGRAM INVOLVES

The Returning Member Program is a PGA Tour policy that allows former members who left for another tour to reapply for membership under specific conditions.

Those conditions typically include financial penalties, a waiting period, and a limit on certain benefits like eligibility for signature events.

Koepka's return in 2026 set a precedent: he paid a $5 million fine, donated another $5 million to PGA Tour charities, and agreed to a reduced benefits package for his first year back.

The program is designed to balance the Tour's interest in retaining top talent while acknowledging that players have the right to explore other opportunities.

For Rahm, the question is whether he will accept similar terms — or whether the Tour will offer different conditions given his stature as a two-time major winner and former world No. 1.

REED'S OWN PATH BACK

Reed left LIV Golf earlier in 2026 and has already secured his PGA Tour card for 2027 through his performance on the DP World Tour.

The 36-year-old won the Masters in 2018 and has nine PGA Tour victories in total.

His return was seen as a test case for how the Tour would handle players coming back from LIV.

Reed did not go through the Returning Member Program because he earned his card through the DP World Tour's Race to Dubai standings, which is a standard qualification pathway.

That distinction matters: it means Reed's return was based on merit, not a special exemption.

Rahm, if he returns, would likely need to use the Returning Member Program because he does not currently have a PGA Tour card and has not earned enough points on another tour to qualify automatically.

THE BROADER CONTEXT

The PGA Tour and LIV Golf have been in a state of conflict since LIV launched in 2022.