McGinley predicts loyalty problem for LIV as ‘smart guy’ Reed exits
Patrick Red in action at the Masters Tournament
Paul McGinley believes that LIV Golf exits by Brooks Koepka and “smart guy” Patrick Reed could encourage stars like Tom McKibbin to line their pockets before jumping back to the major tours.
Reed, who was tied with Pádraig Harrington in the Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship, six shots off the pace after an opening 71, joined Koepka in cutting ties with the Saudi-funded tour.
Reed is eligible to rejoin the PGA Tour as early as August, and with more than $38 million in earnings with LIV and a pathway now open for “rebels” to return to the main tours, McGinley believes LIV Golf cannot rely on the loyalty of its young stars.
“You could make an argument that Patrick Reed was a smart guy here,” McGinley told Golf Channel. “A guy who went over for three or four years and filled his pockets with a load of money. He still got access to major championships during that time.
“He played the very best events in a DP World Tour, winning a big one last week. And now he's going to come back after a year to play on the PGA Tour.
"And you could say the same about Brooks Koepka, who got paid over $100 million and he still won a major championship when he was over there playing on LIV.”
With Reed and Koepka setting a precedent, McGinley believes LIV Golf remains tempting for young stars like McKibbin, who can make a fortune in a couple of seasons before seeking a way back.
“He could well come back in a year or two years’ time now that the gateway seems to be quite clear for anybody to come back,” McGinley said of McKibbin, who remains a DP World Tour member.
“And he'll come back with $40-50 million in his back pocket. If you look at it from a financial point of view, a lot of these young players will say, ‘Okay, well, maybe there's not the risk in going to LIV where it was once a lifetime ban, and that's not there anymore.
2019 East of Ireland Amateur Open winner, Martin Vorster in action in the SDC Open in South Africa. Picture: Getty Images
“What we have learned in the last few years is that players are going to do what is best for them, not any loyalty to anybody.”
As for Reed, who was tied for 58th with Harrington in Bahrain after a frustrating 71 that left them six shots behind Germany’s Freddy Schott and Spain’s Alejandro del Rey, he insisted leaving LIV was “the best decision for me.”
“I’ve really enjoyed all of my time out there on LIV,” he said. “It’s been a blast. I learned a lot when I was out there playing, and hopefully my 4Aces and the team can go out there and win everything.
“I will still be pulling for them and watching them. I am really excited to be out here to play on the DP World Tour like always, and really excited to get back to the PGA Tour and start playing close to home.
“I’m just really grateful and thankful to have the opportunity to play everywhere around the world like I have. Now we’re starting a new chapter and I can’t wait for it to get really rolling.”
Meanwhile, Max Kennedy got the HotelPlanner Tour season rolling with a three-under 69 in the SDC Open at Limpopo’s Zebula Golf Estate in South Africa.
He was tied for 22nd, four shots behind South Africa’s Martin Vorster, but Gary Hurley and Liam Nolan (level par), Ronan Mullarney (one over) and Conor Purcell (three over) have work to do to make the halfway cut.
