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LIV golf rebel Patrick Reed ‘thrown a tee at Rory McIlroy’ after being rebuffed by the world number 1 on the range at the Dubai Desert Classic
Patrick Reed allegedly threw a golf tee at Rory McIlroy after being snubbed by the world number 1 at the Dubai Desert Classic on Tuesday.
According to a Spanish website, ten-golf.com, LIV rebel Reed allegedly approached McIlroy on the Emirates Golf Club golf course and greeted the four-time Grand Slam winner, who has been one of the critics. staunchest of the separatist series.
McIlroy is said to have ignored the gesture, prompting Reed to respond by pulling a T-shirt out of his pocket and tossing it in his direction.
LIV golf maverick Patrick Reed reportedly teeed off Rory McIlroy in a range dispute on Tuesday
While it’s a minor fight, the scenario would seem to touch on the discomfort felt across the golf landscape since LIV’s arrival last year.
Nine LIV golfers are scheduled to play in Dubai on the DP World Tour this week ahead of an arbitration hearing next month that will determine whether they can continue to participate on the European tour.
Previously, Reed lent his support to LIV CEO Greg Norman.
World number 1 McIlroy has been one of the staunchest critics of the maverick series.
Both McIlroy and Tiger Woods have told the divisive Australian that he must step down if there is to be any prospect of a working relationship between LIV and traditional touring.
Asked if Norman was the right man for the job, Reed, who plays in the Desert Classic, said: “He sounds like he’s doing a great job.”
“The interactions I have had with him have been excellent and I have no issues with Mr. Norman. I really enjoy him being a part of LIV.’
Despite calls for Norman to leave, recent events at LIV point to a strengthening of its position due to the departure of Majed Al-Sorour, its CEO, which in turn followed the sudden departure of its influential director. of operations Atul Khosla in December. .
LIV says Al-Sorour, director of Newcastle United and chief executive of the Saudi Golf Federation, will retain a seat on its board but will “focus his efforts and attention on other interests.”
His departure comes just a month before the start of the second season of LIV, for which there have been no new player announcements despite hopes for as many as seven newcomers. They are understood to be signing world number 44 Mito Pereira and are pushing for Belgium’s Thomas Pieters, who will play this week in the DP World Tour’s Dubai Desert Classic.