Patrick Reed has dismissed claims that he and his fellow LIV Golf players prioritise money over Major Championships, explaining his decision to join the Saudi-backed league in 2022.
In a recent interview with bunkered, the American expressed that he feels "greatly misunderstood" and found it insulting that people assume LIV players lack interest in Major Championships.
The 2018 Masters Tournament champion saw his 10-year streak of playing in every Major Championship come to an end this year when he chose not to qualify for the U.S. Open.
He also missed the Open Championship a month later, failing to meet the necessary criteria for any exemptions into the final Major of the year.
“I don’t know a single professional golfer in the world that doesn’t want to win a Major, or doesn’t care about winning Majors on any professional golf tour,” Reed told bunkered.
“Everyone in my circle has always cared about winning and competing in Majors.
“The reason we all play this game is to win golf tournaments and to compete and win Major Championships against our peers, no matter what tour they play on or from.
“Depriving LIV golfers the opportunity to compete in Majors simply because we do not play on the PGA Tour is not a good enough reason or acceptable to me. And insinuating or suggesting that LIV players do not care about Majors as a way to justify or create an excuse as to what is actually going on in Major Championships is simply wrong and not true.
“Anyone who is accepting of such a suggestion is out of touch with the players and our views.”
While LIV players can still access the four Major Championships, it has been made more difficult as they do not receive any World Ranking points when playing LIV events.
As well as offering other exemptions, the Majors typically invite the top 50-100 in the Official World Golf Ranking depending on the tournament. Reed was ranked 38th in the world before defecting to the breakaway circuit – he is now ranked 138th.
