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Golf fans have rounded on Patrick Reed after the former Masters champion found himself at the centre of yet another rules controversy.

Contending in the third round of the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, Reed called in a rules official to check on whether or not his ball was embedded after pulling his approach from a fairway bunker into the left rough at the tenth. 

Perfectly normal so far… except Reed’s ball visibly bounced, he apparently declined to review the video footage available to him from on-course cameras, and picked up his ball before calling in the official.

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He can then be heard telling the official, not once but twice, that his ball hadn’t bounced. The official accepted Reed’s version of events and he was allowed a free drop, from which he went on to save par. 

Here’s the conversation with the official…

And here’s footage of the shot that preceded it, quite clearly showing Reed’s ball taking a bounce…

Hmmm. 

Reed, who famously found himself accused of cheating after an incident at the 2019 Hero World Challenge, was quickly condemned by social media users for this latest incident. 

World No.11 Reed ultimately signed for a two-under 70 to take a share of the lead into the final round.


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Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor

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