Ahead of making his first win in a LIV Golf event in 41 starts at the 2025 LIV Golf Dallas, Patrick Reed touched on a very important topic: the 2025 Ryder Cup. Talking about his chances of making it to Bethpage this year, Reed said, “It’s always on your mind. Anytime I get to represent our country, it means a lot to me. For me personally, I’m always thinking about trying to make every team.” At that time, he sat in 33rd place in the American Ryder Cup points standings. And although he hasn’t improved in ranks much (or at all), Reed believes he has finally cracked the code to get an entry into the 2025 Ryder Cup.

Currently active at the 2025 LIV Golf Andalucía, Patrick Reed shared why he believes he still has a chance for the “National Duty” on Bethpage Black. Reed said, “It’s a hard one to answer. I think it all comes down to next week at The Open. Obviously play well here, but go ahead and win the Open Championship, and I believe I’d be inside the top 6 on points, so I think that would lock it in and allow me to be on the team.” Reed made it to The Open Championship after winning the 2025 Asian Tour International Series in Macau.

Now, Patrick Reed currently ranks 36th in the American Ryder Cup points standings with 2,821.82 points, and players earn 1.5 Ryder Cup points for every $1,000 they make in a major. So, even with a win at The Open, “Captain America” would gain around 4,650 points, bringing his total to about 7,471.82—placing him just outside the top 10. The point? Reed may still depend on a captain’s pick from Keegan Bradley.

But a hopeful Reed continued, “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. 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.” It is indeed an “uphill battle” for Reed, considering LIV Golf stars can only grab points from major appearances. But here’s the thing: Reed is playing some of his best golf. In his 9 LIV Golf appearances, he finished inside the top 10 four times, including a win at the 2025 LIV Golf Dallas. Outside the circuit, he has performed pretty strongly in majors – 3rd at the Masters, missed cut at the PGA Championship, and a T23 finish at the U.S. Open.

Despite these numbers, Patrick Reed has proven he knows how to get under the skin of his European rivals during his Ryder Cup appearances. His record of 7 wins, 3 losses, and 2 ties over three Ryder Cups, along with a flawless 3-0-0 in singles, demonstrates that he excels in match play. So, he’d be a pretty great addition to the U.S. team.

However, if you asked a specific veteran golf analyst for his opinion on Reed’s involvement in the upcoming Ryder Cup, he would likely dismiss these numbers and highlight another issue surrounding Reed: his “toxicity.”

Veteran analyst Eamon Lynch does not want “toxicity” in the U.S. team’s room

During a recent appearance on Golf Today, Eamon Lynch shared his thoughts on Patrick Reed potentially making it into the American team for the 2025 Ryder Cup: “So, the idea, if you’re Keegan Bradley and you have a deep bench on your team, the idea of introducing toxicity into the team room makes no sense whatsoever. And it doesn’t get much more toxic than Team Reed in golf.” So, where does Eamon Lynch’s dislike come from?

Well, several places, for one thing. However, one particular moment stands out. After the 2018 Ryder Cup, Reed publicly criticized Captain Jim Furyk and expressed frustration over being separated from Jordan Spieth, a pairing that had previously achieved a record of 4–1–2 in earlier Cups. This public airing of grievances violated Ryder Cup protocol and revealed Reed’s divisive nature, sparking controversy and prompting even former teammates to hint at their discomfort with him.

But when his co-host Ryan Lavner tried to defend Reed by saying, “He’s right in that category of a Harris English, a Mav McNealy, and an Andrew Novak,” given Reed’s stats in Ryder Cup, Lynch dryly replied that Ryder Cup captains would likely choose “the 12 best that they’re willing to tolerate.” So, will Patrick Reed make it to Bethpage Black this year? Well, that depends on whether Keegan Bradley can take the heat.