Patrick Reed holds the 54-hole lead in Dubai. His LIV Golf compatriot David Puig is in second place, four shots behind entering Sunday’s final round. But the talk at the DP World Tour Rolex Series event isn’t about their golf.
At least that’s not the main topic.
As members of LIV Golf, Reed, Puig and others will be subject to fines from the DP World Tour for playing in conflicting events once the LIV season begins in February. While Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton are appealing the fines they began collecting when they joined LIV in 2024, Reed will have no problem collecting the money to remain a member of the DP World Tour in good standing, although the exact penalty is unknown.
“So we don’t know what it means for this year,” Reed told reporters in Dubai on Friday. via Evin Priest of Golf Digest. “I mean, if it happens (that I have to pay fines to play here), so be it. I’m not going to let that stop me from showing support and playing in this tournament. I’ve been doing it since I won the (2014) WGC (Cadillac Event at Doral) and I don’t plan on stopping.”
The DP World Tour fines members for competing in conflicting events without a concession. Penalties are weighted based on whether or not the LIV event is in the same time zone or region as the current DP World Tour event. The penalties are higher if a LIV event is against a Rolex Series event or another major tournament.
But if Reed can get the job done on Sunday in Dubai, he’ll collect a $1.5 million paycheck that could help with the fines he’ll incur.
“Go ahead and win early (in the season) and that will take care of it,” Reed joked.
“There’s so many different factors that go into it … I’d rather just do it and play, and (if) it costs me that, whatever, I’m going to go play. Play well and it pays off,” Reed said later.
As for Puig, the young Spaniard is taking the same approach as Reed. While he hopes the DP World Tour and LIV Golf can reach an agreement, Puig will “pay whatever it takes” to remain a member.
“In my case, I want to be a part of the tournament, so I’m going to do everything I can to continue to be a part of it. If it means paying any amount, I’ll do it,” Puig told reporters on Friday. via bunkered.co.uk.
“It’s expensive, obviously, but I’m willing to do it. That’s why I joined the tournament. We’ll see what happens. I don’t really know what’s going to happen, but in my case, I’m willing to do as much as I can to be part of this tournament.”
As for Rahm and Hatton, they had a small victory in 2025 when they were granted a stay on their fines pending a final decision to vacate them. This decision allowed them to be part of the winning European 2025 Ryder Cup team at Bethpage Black, provided they played the minimum number of events required to remain a member of the DP World Tour. Rahm said of GOLF’s Podcast subpar that the fines are somewhere more than 3 million dollars. The two-time major champion has been adamant he will not pay the fines even if he and Hatton eventually lose their appeals, which is likely.
On Wednesday, Rory McIlroy noted that Team Europe all said they would “pay to play” in the Ryder Cup rather than being paid to play as members of Team USA, and that Hatton and Rahm, the team’s two key members, can and should do so.
“We came up big with the Americans to get paid to play in Ryder Cups, and we also said we’d pay to play in Ryder Cups,” McIlroy said.
“There are two guys who can attest to that.”
While Rahm and Hatton await the final decision on their appeal, Reed hopes the remaining 18 holes at Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis Course will take care of whatever fines await him once the LIV season begins.
For Reed, as long as he’s doing his part, the fines won’t be that big.
“I like being that American that comes in and tries to be a thorn in everybody’s side when all the Europeans are out playing,” Reed said. “It’s fun, it’s fun to come and play, and hey, if I play the way I’m supposed to, that’ll take care of the fines.”
