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5 birdies, 1 bogey, no citations. Very successful start to the week’: PGA Tour stars Max Homa and Collin Morikawa tease the ‘tee-gate’ after the war of words between Rory McIlroy and LIV Golf maverick Patrick Reed
PGA Tour stars Max Homa and Collin Morikawa couldn’t help but mock this week’s tee-gate between Rory McIlroy and LIV Golf maverick Patrick Reed.
Reed teeed off McIlroy after the world No. 1 blanked the American on the driving range at the Dubai Desert Classic this week.
McIlroy later revealed at a press conference that Reed’s attorney, Larry Klayman, had served him with a subpoena on Christmas Eve, prompting the snub.
PGA Tour stars Max Homa (left) and Collin Morikawa (right) couldn’t help but make fun of the tee-gate
Homa said on Twitter that he had a successful start to the week without citations on Wednesday.
The golf world naturally erupted into the war of words and even McIlroy and Reed’s fellow pros saw the funny side.
After his first round at the Framers Insurance Open on Wednesday, Homa took to Twitter to clarify the tension between the PGA Tour and the LIV Golf camps.
Joking, he wrote: ‘I had a great time on the pitch today. 5 birdies, 1 bogey, no citations. Very successful start to the week!’
Morikawa, a two-time major winner, sprang into action, responding to the tweet saying he was “so close to teeing off” Homa, but decided his fellow American was “too nice.”
Morikawa, a two-time major winner, sprang into action, joking that he was “close to teeing off.”
Homa kept up the joke by replying in the thread: “Thank you for forgiving me.”
The latest chapter in golf’s never-ending civil war broke out when Reed approached McIlroy on the Emirates Golf Club golf course and greeted the four-time Grand Slam winner, who did not respond.
McIlroy, who has been one of the staunchest critics of the Saudi-funded breakout, later admitted in his pre-tournament media duties that he intentionally left Reed blank about his Christmas Eve summons.
The footage shows Patrick Reed (second right) getting close to Rory McIlroy (left) in Dubai.
After McIlroy ignores the American, Reed turns to throw one of his jerseys at the world number 1.
The brief is believed to be aimed at forcing McIlroy to testify about the content of a meeting between PGA Tour players in Delaware last year.
McIlroy said: ‘I was standing by my bag and he came up to me.
“I was busy working and doing my practice and I didn’t really feel the need to acknowledge it. I didn’t see any tees in my direction, but apparently that’s what happened.
“And if the tables were turned and I had to throw that shirt at him, I’d be waiting for a lawsuit.”
The Northern Irishman admitted to ignoring Reed on the shooting range at the Dubai Desert Classic
The latest joke was possibly a play on a $750 million defamation suit that Klayman filed on Reed’s behalf against Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee.
When asked about the driving range setting, McIlroy added: “I mean, I got a summons on Christmas Eve.” You can’t pretend nothing’s wrong, right? I think that’s the thing. We are living in reality here.’
Reed, who has often been one of the most polarizing figures in the sport over the years, fired back, calling the Northern Irishman an “immature little kid.”