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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…

@NoLayingUp here’s the convo with the rules official, twice telling him it didnt bounce. Use at you will. pic.twitter.com/1ohSXYnYKv

— James Else (@Elsey6) January 30, 2021

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

Here you go, use at your leisure pic.twitter.com/pfCmEuwiIS

— James Else (@Elsey6) January 30, 2021

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.

And with Patrick Reed’s first rules controversy of the year, 2021 has ~officially~ begun

— claire rogers (@kclairerogers) January 30, 2021

Patrick Reed leads the Tour in a new metric I just created: Strokes Gained Cheating

— Shane B (@straitvibin) January 30, 2021

The rules of golf were designed to ensure the player never touched the ball, unless absolutely necessary. #PatrickReed

— Luke Elvy (@Luke_Elvy) January 30, 2021

Patrick Reed has more front than Blackpool.. He does not give a …..

— Paul Wardell (@paulwardellgolf) January 30, 2021

What Patrick Reed did on the 10th was just flat wrong. If he thought his ball was embedded(it bounced) he should have waited for Brad Fable to determine that.Not complicated.

— Gary Williams (@Garywilliams1Up) January 30, 2021

Patrick Reed cheating again

— Stuart Douglas (@StuartD99332447) January 30, 2021

Everytime I start to root for Patrick Reed again, he goes and #Allegedly does more shady stuff. Dammit.

— Obscure Former Reds (@ObscureExReds) January 30, 2021

Patrick Reed at it again. Just sad to see, why do the referees allow this?! #notgolf #notcricket @PGATOUR

— Bernt Hellman (@BerntHellman) January 30, 2021

@PGATOUR Why do not Patrick Reed play the honest way like the other guys on the TOUR?

— Dag Johansen (@DagJohansen4) January 30, 2021

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

topics

Patrick Reed PGA Tour Farmers Insurance Open Torrey Pines Tour News Cheating Rules of Golf Social media

Michael McEwan is bunkered's Head of Content 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.

Head of Content