The big impact of LIV Golf will have to wait. At least for now. Less than 24 hours before the fifth season of the Saudi league kicks off in Riyadh, there is already a name to fill the vacancy left by Patrick Reed in the 4Aces… but it’s not the one many expected.
Finally, the ‘chosen one’ is Miguel Tabuena, a reserve player for LIV Golf and four-time winner on the Asian Tour, who will debut this week in the league as part of Dustin Johnson’s team. A functional solution, correct from a sporting point of view… but far from the media impact that had been anticipated behind the scenes of the circuit.
The context suggested otherwise. The departure of Patrick Reed, along with the previous exit of Brooks Koepka and the doubts publicly aired by Bryson DeChambeau, had fueled the idea that LIV was preparing a high-voltage move to start the season in Saudi Arabia. The delay in announcing the replacement in the 4Aces reinforced that theory.
However, the big impact has not arrived. At least for now. Tabuena, who won the International Series Philippines in October 2025 and came close to securing the LIV card by finishing third in the circuit ranking —only behind Scott Vincent and Yosuke Asaji—, will take Reed’s place in Riyadh and likely also in Adelaide next week. His presence does not guarantee continuity beyond these two events and everything points to it being a stopgap, not a structural bet. Who knows.
In other words, exactly the scenario considered as plan B: a temporary replacement in the style of John Catlin while buying time for something more ambitious… or while accepting that something wasn’t possible. Neither Anthony Kim nor another big name. We’ll see if it arrives, if it ever does…
Thus begins the season for LIV Golf: with emergency solutions, patched-up teams and the feeling that the big headline —that signing that changes the narrative— will have to wait. Riyadh raises the curtain this Wednesday… but the impact remains on the bench.
