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It was an otherwise quiet Wednesday afternoon in the world of professional golf. Then the people behind the controls of the @useGolfFacts Twitter account dropped a pretty heavy bombshell.
“Of course it can be true that in the case of Patrick Reed he *may* have cheated, but that doesn’t mean he always cheats,” wrote Pepperell. “I’ve played with Patrick and was astonished at how skilful a golfer he was. This is why it’s so sad that there are so many episodes like this with him…”
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Responding to Pepperell’s tweet now nine months after the fact, @useGolfFacts disputed the Englishman’s “many episodes” assertion.
They then went further, making the remarkable allegation that television pictures from another controversy involving the former Masters champion – this time during the 2019 Hero World Challenge – were purposefully altered in an attempt to discredit Reed.
“Many episodes… No,” tweeted the account. “‘The Sand’ incident – An expert forensic videographer broke that down… Altered footage from a copy of LIVE broadcast…from his actual shot to the shot shown in replays – basically DIGITALLY ALTERED to publicly smear and cause damages to PREED.“
Many episodes… No. “The Sand” incident- An expert forensic videographer broke that down… Altered footage from a copy of LIVE broadcast…from his actual shot to the shot shown in replays- basically DIGITALLY ALTERED to publicly smear and cause damages to PREED. pic.twitter.com/pvNuVVehAr
— GolfFACTS (@useGolfFACTS) October 27, 2021
In a follow-up tweet to another user, the same account claimed that “over 180 hours” had “gone into this”, adding that “it’s very clear”.
The incident in question pertains to Reed appearing to have improved his lie during the third round of the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas in December 2019.
Then then 29-year-old stood accused of deliberately improving his lie, not once, but twice. Officials took a dim view of the incident and, after his round, Reed was docked two shots over the matter, turning his 72 into a 74.
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At the Presidents Cup later that month, the American was heckled by significant portions of the gallery, prompting an ugly confrontation between his caddie Kessler Karain and a spectator – an incident that saw the looper, also his brother-in-law, dismissed from the event.
Fellow pros, including Brooks Koepka and Cam Smith, also openly condemned him for his alleged cheating.
Now, though, it appears that Team Reed is fighting back.
What they do with their information is sure to be fascinating…
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