Patrick Reed announced his immediate departure from LIV Golf and his imminent return to the PGA Tour on Wednesday.
The 35-year-old’s decision came weeks after Brooks Koepka made the headlines with his switch between the two rival tours.
However, unlike Koepka, Reed will not be allowed to compete in any PGA Tour events until the end of August.
In the meantime, he will continue to compete regularly on the DP World Tour after winning the Dubai Desert Classic last week.
Reed is now playing in the Bahrain Championship this week, but his first round at the Royal Golf Club did not go to plan.
Patrick Reed struggles in Bahrain Championship first round
Reed’s tournament-winning form from Dubai did not translate into his first round at the Bahrain Championship.
The former LIV golfer could only manage a one-under-par 71 on day one, having made four bogeys and five birdies.
This leaves him six shots behind the leaders, meaning he is unlikely to secure back-to-back DP World Tour victories.
“It’s a frustrating day, obviously, going out there and only shooting one under par, especially when I felt like I hit the ball pretty well,” Reed reflected.
“With this golf course, when it gets windy, it gets tricky. The greens are very undulating. You have to play into quadrants. When it starts blowing as hard as it did out there, then you’re also starting to have to play putts with the wind.
“There were a lot of burned edges and a lot of frustration out there, but I was able to manage it and get under par.”
Patrick Reed ‘really excited’ for new chapter after LIV Golf departure
Reed explained after his first round in Dubai that he “really enjoyed” his time with LIV Golf and will still keep an eye on his old team, 4Aces GC.
However, he insisted that the decision to quit the league was the best thing for him and his family at this stage of his career.
Reed’s announcement has come as a huge boost to the DP World Tour, which will receive more attention than it ordinarily would have.
“I’m really excited,” he said. “With everything that’s transpired over the past 48 hours and really even since Sunday, it was something that my family and I felt was the best decision for me.
“I’ve really enjoyed all my time out there on LIV. It’s been a blast. I learned a lot when I was out there playing, and hopefully my 4Aces can go out and win everything. I’ll still be pulling for them and watching them.
“But I’m really excited to be out here on the DP World Tour, like always, and really excited to get back on the PGA Tour and start playing closer to home.”
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