Patrick Reed’s week at LIV Golf Dallas started with Ryder Cup dreams and ended with champagne showers—and, for the first time since joining the circuit, a LIV Golf trophy in his hands.
From Lead to Survival: Reed’s Rollercoaster Final Round
Reed jumped out to an early lead after rounds of 67 and 68 on Friday and Saturday at Maridoe Golf Club. He entered the final round with a comfortable cushion and the momentum of a player finally finding his groove. But Sunday didn’t follow the script.
The 34-year-old struggled mightily out of the gate, carding five bogeys on his front nine. His lead evaporated in a hurry, and suddenly, what looked like a runaway became a four-man dogfight. Jinichiro Kozuma, Paul Casey, and Louis Oosthuizen all clawed their way back to even terms, forcing a playoff on Maridoe’s 18th hole.
That’s where Reed did what he’s done so many times in his career—found a way. He rolled in a confident birdie putt on the first playoff hole while the others faltered, clinching his maiden LIV victory and capping a chaotic Sunday with a high-stakes exclamation point.
Eyes on Portrush—and the Ryder Cup
The win didn’t just hand Reed his first trophy on the LIV circuit—it boosted his confidence heading into two critical opportunities to make his case for Team USA. Reed, who hasn’t played in a Ryder Cup since 2018, knows he’ll need to make noise—major noise—to earn a captain’s pick from Keegan Bradley.
“We feel good,” Reed said post-victory. “The game has felt really solid recently… I’m looking forward to Portrush, but I’m really looking forward to next week going to Germany, [a] DP World Tour event, keep this momentum going, win there, and who knows, maybe go on a run.”
The scenario is still steep. Even with an Open Championship win at Royal Portrush, Reed would need to convince Bradley that his recent play outweighs any past drama or divisiveness. But at least now, he’s in the conversation—and the trophy at LIV Dallas adds volume to his case.
LIV Dallas Doubled as a Gateway to the Open
Reed wasn’t the only one playing with Portrush on his mind. The R&A’s dangling of an Open exemption to the top non-exempt player within the LIV Golf points top five turned Maridoe into a battleground of opportunity. Several players viewed this week as a fast track to Royal Portrush without having to slog through Open Qualifying.
For some, that door closed. But for Reed, who was already exempt for Portrush, Dallas was about something bigger: silencing doubters, reigniting momentum, and reminding the golf world—and the Ryder Cup committee—that he still has plenty left in the tank.
And if his putter stays hot and his form continues, a trip to Germany and a strong showing at Portrush could be enough to rewrite the narrative. For now, though, he’s a LIV Golf champion—and his champagne-soaked celebration made sure everyone knew it.
