Patrick Reed’s $750m lawsuit thrown out

Patrick Reed’s defamation lawsuit against several journalists and media organisations has been thrown out by a judge.

Reed, through his attorney Larry Klayman, sought $750million in damages from journalists including Shane Bacon, Damon Hack, Eamon Lynch and Brandel Chamblee.

He alleged they were guilty of a nine-year campaign of defamation which had “caused substantial financial and emotional damage and harm to Mr Reed and his family” in a filing lodged in Jacksonville, Florida.

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Reed also claimed he had missed out on multi-million-dollar sponsorship deals as a result of the alleged “campaign”, and that the defendants were “intentionally and maliciously destroying” grindworksUSA products, since he and his wife own the company.

However, US District Judge Timothy Corrigan has now dismissed the claims.

Judge Corrigan, in a ruling handed down on Friday, said the action “fails to give Defendants notice of the grounds upon which each claim rests because Reed alleges 120 factual allegations, then proceeds to incorporate all 120 allegations into each and every count”.

The judge also criticised the length of the 96-page filing.

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Reed, the 2018 Masters champion, has until December 16 to lodge an appeal against the decision.

He has been suspended from the PGA Tour since joining LIV Golf earlier this year.