Patrick Reed is currently leading the European tour's Race to Dubai, a position that signifies a significant step in his journey back to the PGA Tour. Reed, who joined LIV Golf, is on track to secure a PGA Tour card for 2027 through the European tour's exemption criteria, which grants cards to the top 10 players not already exempt at the end of the season.
Reed's decision to not renew his contract with LIV Golf followed a series of strong performances on the European tour. After winning the Dubai Desert Classic by four shots, he went on to win the Qatar Masters, placing him at the top of the Race to Dubai standings, ahead of Rory McIlroy. This season, he has also secured two European tour titles and two World Golf Championships titles, alongside his 2018 Masters victory and six PGA Tour wins prior to his move to LIV.
While Reed's immediate focus is on maintaining his performance in upcoming European tour events, including the French Open and the Dunhill Links Championship, he acknowledged the possibility of competing in the Presidents Cup. However, he indicated that making the U.S. team for the September event in Chicago would be challenging given his absence from U.S.-based competitions. Reed last played for a U.S. team in the 2019 Presidents Cup in Australia.
Reed's commitment to the European tour is not new; he has maintained a presence on the tour since receiving honorary life membership after his Masters win. He has indicated a desire to start and finish his career on the PGA Tour, seeing the current path through the European tour as a means to that end. He is eligible for sponsor exemptions on the PGA Tour starting in September but plans to prioritize his European tour commitments. The first PGA Tour event he could potentially play for an exemption is in North Carolina in late September, but he is scheduled to compete in the European tour's flagship event at Wentworth that same week.
Reed's global golf presence includes wins on the Asian Tour and appearances in events across the world. He has stated that he occasionally accepts appearance money but often plays events simply for the competition. His current trajectory in the Race to Dubai puts him in contention to become one of the few Americans, alongside Collin Morikawa, to achieve the tour's top ranking.