When Patrick Reed announced on Wednesday that he would walk away from LIV Golf, it sent a clear signal across professional golf. The PGA Tour is gaining its grip back. Although the American professional hinted that he is a free agent after his win in Dubai, no one would have expected him to make this move within a week. While the PGA Tour and LIV Golf have released their statements, many professional golfers in both organizations have also weighed in.

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Anthony Kim frames Reed’s move as a personal choice

Kim was relegated from LIV Golf after his poor performance in 2025. However, he was determined to get back on the roster, and he did. The Saudi-backed league had opened 3 wild-card spots for the leaders of the LIV Golf Promotions event, and Kim was one of them. Instead of waiting for his ban to complete to join the PGA Tour again, he made a personal decision to try and stick with LIV Golf, and that’s what he thinks about Patrick Reed’s decision.

“Similar opinion as the @BKoepka situation. @PReedGolf did wat he thot was best 4 him & his family so good 4 him. Play good & get more opportunities just like any other job. 🤷‍♂️ 1% BETTER SOBER is DOPE,” Kim wrote in an X post.

Kim suggested Reed made the move with his family in mind and treated the situation like a career decision rather than a loyalty test between tours. His post leaned into the idea that strong play leads to more opportunities, regardless of where a golfer competes. This strikes a neutral tone that avoids taking sides in the broader PGA Tour versus LIV debate.

Keegan Bradley welcomes Reed back to the PGA Tour

The 2025 Ryder Cup captain has welcomed Reed back with open arms. In fact, it’s not just the 9x PGA Tour winner; he is open to anyone and everyone who wants to come back.

“You bring back another incredible personality to the PGA Tour. A major champion, a world class player, it’s amazing,” Keegan Bradley said. “I have a lot of faith in [Tour CEO] Brian Rolapp and the board that they are going to do the right thing. You need to capitalize when great players want to come back. I’m welcoming everyone who wants to come back. I don’t have any hard feelings towards them.”

Patrick Reed has won on the PGA Tour nine times, including his 2018 Masters win. This is just like Koepka, who has nine PGA Tour wins, including five majors. In fact, many LIV Golf athletes are major winners, including Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and others. These are all great players who went to LIV Golf for their own reasons. However, if they want to come back, Bradley feels that the PGA Tour should allow it.

His views are similar to Rory McIlroy’s. When many golfers were against allowing Koepka to return, McIlroy was backing the 5x major champion. He said that it would be beneficial for the PGA Tour to have the ex-LIV golfer back.

J.J. Spaun highlights the competitive boost in PGA

JJ Spaun didn’t wave the victory flag. Instead, he plainly said that the PGA Tour offers the best competitive platform for a golfer.

“I think people want to be on the PGA Tour. It’s the best tour in the world, the most competitive tour,” J.J. Spaun said. “I think Patrick will be a good asset to this tour and I think it just speaks volumes to where the tour’s headed. I think to add even more competition for us that have been here while they left, and adding Brooks and Patrick now, it’s just strengthening our tour, which I think is great.”

Spaun’s comments are backed by the field ratings OWGR offers for the PGA Tour events. For instance, the 2026 Hero Dubai Desert Classic is a Rolex series event on the DP World Tour. The field featured elites like Rory McIlroy, Patrick Reed, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, and others. Therefore, the OWGR assigned it a field rating of 179.41784.

On the other hand, the Farmers Insurance Event, which is not even a Signature Event on the PGA Tour, has a rating of 335.07379. As JJ Spaun highlights, the return of Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed will make the field even stronger, further strengthening the PGA Tour.

Harris English sees a shift in perspective

Harris English took a broader view, suggesting Reed’s exit reflects a changing mindset among LIV golfers. He talked about the idea that financial incentives alone may not satisfy players who thrive on competition.

“The dominoes are starting to fall. Maybe those guys on the LIV Tour are not that happy out there,” Harris English said.

English emphasized the appeal of playing in major events against the strongest fields, pointing to a renewed focus on legacy and competitive pride rather than contracts and guarantees. Many golfers switched to LIV Golf for financial reasons. The Saudi-backed league was giving millions to golfers just for signing contracts.

Jon Rahm reportedly made a $500 million deal to play just LIV Golf events. Whether he performs well or badly on the course would not affect his deal. On top of this, there is prize money for team events and individual winners. Although the numbers are lucrative, Harris English highlights that it might not be sufficient for LIV golfers to continue playing on the PIF-backed league.

Ludvig Åberg supports a clear path back

The 2x PGA Tour winner had a very simple message about LIV golfers returning to the PGA Tour. While he didn’t specifically mention Reed, his comments hint at how he approaches the situation overall.

“Everyone’s going to view it a little bit differently, and I think everyone’s going to make the best decision for their personal career,” Ludvig Aberg said. “If you’re doing it the right way and you want to come back, I have no problem.”

The World No. 19 kept his response simple and direct. There’s an established process set out for LIV golfers returning to the PGA Tour. Aberg says that if someone is following that process, he doesn’t have a problem with it. His comment underscored the importance of fairness and consistency, suggesting that the pathway matters as much as the decision to return.

Adam Scott points to the PGA Tour’s return policy

Adam Scott’s comment reflects on the same process Ludvig Aberg hinted at. As a valued member of the PGA Tour’s Policy Board and Player Advisory Council, he knows the process well.

“This was decided long ago; everybody should be comfortable with it,” Scott said. “But it’s the first time it’s really happening. In fairness to the tour, they had a pathway back for guys and Patrick might be the first to get back through that.”

While Brooks Koepka was the first to return to the PGA Tour, he did that through the Returning Member Program. Only a select few LIV golfers, including Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cameron Smith, were eligible for that program. The 5x major champion was, therefore, able to make a quick comeback on the PGA Tour. Patrick Reed, however, will have to follow a lengthier, standard process.

Xander Schauffele credits the tour’s progress

Speaking about the overall patterns of LIV golfers trying to make a comeback, Xander Schauffele said, “I’m not surprised guys are wanting to come back. Thanks to the whole split, I think we’ve tried to make our product as good as possible. If they didn’t like it then, I’m sure they’ll like it the second time around.”

The 10x PGA Tour winner is right to say that the organization has improved its product in recent times. The addition of Signature Events, larger prize pools, an equity offering, and many other changes have made the PGA Tour even more lucrative for professional golfers worldwide.

While Greg Norman believes these changes came about because of LIV Golf, it cannot be denied that the American organization is now spending more on golfers.

Dustin Johnson takes a hands-off approach

Reed thanked Dustin Johnson in his announcement post on X. However, there’s no response from Patrick Reed’s LIV Golf captain. He made his stance clear on the LIV vs. PGA Tour debate and on golfers returning to the American organization after Koepka’s exit, though.

“I don’t really care one way or the other. Brooks can do whatever he thinks is best. Whether he plays on LIV or anywhere else, happy for him. Doesn’t matter. Doesn’t hurt us or not hurt us, I don’t think,” DJ said when asked about Brooks Koepka leaving LIV Golf.

He offered a different perspective, showing little concern about how Koepka’s, Reed’s, or anyone else’s decisions affect LIV Golf. He said players should do what they believe is best for themselves and downplayed any impact on the league.

Patrick Reed’s departure from LIV Golf has sparked more than casual reactions. It has highlighted how differently players view competition, opportunity, and the future of professional golf. As voices from both sides continue to weigh in, his next steps could shape how others approach the divide between the two tours.