Why is Patrick Reed allowed to play on the DP World Tour this week?
By Matt Chivers
Patrick Reed is down to play in the Italian Open this week but you might be scratching your head at this given LIV Golf players have previously been fined and suspended by the DP World Tour…
From time to time, we find a LIV Golf player popping up in a field on the DP World Tour.
In golf’s current climate, this is somewhat a needle in a haystack given that in April 2023, an arbitration panel ruled in the tour’s favour to allow fines and suspensions to be given to members who joined the LIV Golf League and played in conflicting events.
Patrick Reed, who was awarded an honorary lifetime membership to the DP World Tour in 2019, is entered in the Italian Open this week, a tournament that has two spots available for The 152nd Open next month at Troon.
Not only can Reed use this event to surge up the Official World Golf Rankings, but he could also qualify for a major tournament which he is in jeopardy of missing for the first time since 2013.
But why is the former Masters champion and current LIV Golf rebel allowed to play in a tournament arranged by a tour that has dished out punishments to members who hopped to the Saudi-funded circuit?
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Why is Patrick Reed on the European Tour?
Although Reed is an honorary member of the tour, the conflicting tournament regulations that were the subject of last year’s arbitration hearings still apply to him, like they would to any regular member of the tour.
The American is allowed to play at Adriatic Golf Club Cervia this week because he has no outstanding fines or sanctions to deal with. The same circumstances allowed Thomas Pieters to play in his home event, the Soudal Open, last month where he finished tied for second.
He is also entered in the BMW International Open in Germany. Since joining LIV Golf, Reed has dropped outside the top 100 in the world golf rankings which, like many of his breakaway circuit colleagues, has restricted his avenues to the major championships.
Reed is no stranger to playing in DP World Tour events, far from it. The 33-year-old has been arguably the most notable American presence on the circuit since the year of his first professional win in 2013. He even played on the Challenge Tour in 2012.
The nine-time PGA Tour winner and three-time US Ryder Cup representative played twice on the DP World Tour last year. He came second to Rory McIlroy at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic in a memorable battle.
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Matt Chivers
Now on the wrong side of 25, Matt has been playing golf since the age of 13 and was largely inspired to take up the game by countless family members who played golf during his childhood.
Matt is a member at Royal Cinque Ports in Deal playing off a 5 handicap, just a pitching wedge away from his hometown of Dover where he went to school and grew up. He has previously been a member at Etchinghill and Walmer and Kingsdown in Kent.
Having studied history at the University of Liverpool, Matt went on to pass his NCTJ Exams in Manchester a year later to fulfil his lifelong ambition of becoming a journalist. He picked up work experience along the way at places such as the Racing Post, the Independent, Sportsbeat and the Lancashire Evening Post.
Matt joined NCG in February 2023 and is the website’s main source of tour news, features and opinion. He has reported live from events such as The Open, the Ryder Cup and The Players Championship, having also interviewed and spoken to the likes of Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Lee Westwood, Graeme McDowell, Henrik Stenson, to name just a few.
Consuming tour golf on what is a 24/7 basis, you can come to Matt for informed views on the game and the latest updates on the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour and LIV Golf.
What’s in Matt’s bag: Cobra LTDx LS driver, Cobra LTDx 3-wood, TaylorMade P7MC irons, Ping Glide 4.0 wedges, Odyssey putter.
