Patrick Reed has launched a blistering critique of PGA Tour leaders for penalizing players who have joined LIV Golf. Reed, a controversial figure in the sport, was among the first to surrender his tour card in June 2022 to join the Saudi-backed initiative.
LIV tournaments are not acknowledged by the Official Golf World Rankings, resulting in several rebels missing out on major tournaments. Reed, 34, is granted an annual spot at the U.S. Masters due to his 2018 victory at Augusta, but this season he missed both the U.S. Open and Open Championship.
In a conversation with bunkered , the American golfer alleged that the current system is deliberately denying top players the opportunity to participate in prestigious events. "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," he stated.
"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."
Reed has criticized the PGA Tour for being "out of touch" with pro golfers, but don't expect a flood of sympathy for him. His image has been tarnished by various rules controversies throughout his career.
Yet, the golfer often referred to as 'Captain America' insists that public perception doesn't match reality. He added: "Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, 'To be great, is to be misunderstood. And I often think I am greatly misunderstood.
"I have always heard that someone else's opinion of me is none of my business. I like to keep things light because life is too short to let anyone rob you of your own happiness."
In a twist of events, Reed filed a defamation lawsuit against commentator Brandel Chamblee and the Golf Channel in August 2022, accusing them of intentionally misrepresenting facts about him, leading to damage to his reputation and personal attacks.
However, the case was thrown out in federal court. The judgment stated that Reed's legal action was an attempt to suppress free speech, resulting in him being ordered to cover the defendants' attorney fees and expenses.
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