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Patrick Reed is claiming a ‘small victory’ in his spat with Rory McIlroy after bumping into the world No.1 in their Dubai hotel.
The pair have been at the centre of controversy all week, stemming from allegations that Reed threw a tee at McIlroy after being blanked when he went to shake his hand during a practice round.
McIlroy took exception to Reed’s attempts to engage him in conversation after hit with a subpoena by a lawyer who has been representing the American on Christmas Eve.
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That summons is not thought to be in relation to any of Reed’s current active lawsuits but McIlroy was unmoved, saying: “If I were in his shoes, I wouldn’t expect a hello or a handshake. You can’t pretend like nothing’s happening.”
That prompted Reed to accuse the Irishman of behaving like an “immature little child”.
To the delight of golf fans, who are hoping to see the duo paired together over the weekend, both started strongly in Dubai and shared the lead after the weather-delayed first round.
As far as Reed is concerned, he currently holds all the bragging rights, after an ostensibly friendly encounter with McIlroy at their hotel on Thursday.
“So, I get myself ready, and then a while later, I’m standing out in front of the hotel with my caddy and my coach, and we’re saying, ‘Where’s the car?’” Reed told Irish Golfer.
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“It’s now about tenminutes late, and the next thing you know, Rory gets out of his courtesy car, as he’s also staying at the same hotel, and he says, ‘Hey, just to let you know, we’re not playing, as they’ve suspended the start of play.’ He’s also saying, ‘We’re off the golf course, buddy. We’re off the golf course,’
“So, I say, ‘OK, thanks for that,’ and head back to my room and go back to bed. I’m not sure if Rory was acknowledging me, my coach, my caddy or all three of us, but whatever, I’ll take it as a small victory.”
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