Former Masters champion Patrick Reed headlines a strong LIV Golf contingent as 31 players from the Saudi-backed league descend on the Hong Kong Open later this month — a tournament that now carries major championship implications.
For the first time, the winner of the Hong Kong Open will earn automatic qualification for both the Masters and The Open Championship, offering LIV golfers a rare pathway back to golf’s biggest stages after years of exclusion from traditional PGA Tour events.
Reed, who captured the title in 2024, will lead a star-studded field that includes Louis Oosthuizen, Talor Gooch, Graeme McDowell, and Charl Schwartzel, among others. The event will also feature a $2 million prize purse, adding extra incentive for the players.
“It’s not my first time in Hong Kong, but I’m excited to be coming back to such a great course and such a great tournament,” Reed said ahead of the event. “Of course, the Masters and Open places are a motivation too, but I love Hong Kong — the food, the culture, all of it.”
Last year, Reed made history at the tournament by matching Ian Poulter’s record score of 22-under-par and becoming only the second player in Asian Tour history to shoot a 59.
Among those hoping to follow his lead is Talor Gooch, who topped the LIV Golf League’s 2023 individual and money standings with four wins. “The Masters and Open spots definitely add some extra fire,” Gooch admitted.
Meanwhile, 2010 Open champion Louis Oosthuizen expressed his excitement about the expanded stakes. “Winning The Open at St Andrews was incredible, but the green jacket is still something I’d love to earn,” he said. “This event gives me a real shot at getting back there.”
While Bubba Watson was forced to withdraw due to injury, the lineup remains one of the strongest in Hong Kong Open history — following in the footsteps of past champions like Ian Poulter (2010) and Rory McIlroy (2011).
With both prestige and opportunity on the line, the 2025 Hong Kong Open promises to be one of the most consequential events on the Asian Tour calendar — and a potential lifeline for LIV golfers eager to return to golf’s most iconic stages.
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