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Watch: Patrick Reed Tosses Golf Tee at Rory McIlroy

Video evidence has surfaced of the driving range incident.

Gabrielle Herzig

Video evidence of Patrick Reed tossing a golf tee at Rory McIlroy on the Dubai Desert Classic driving range has finally emerged. 

Reports began to circle of the alleged incident on Tuesday at Emirates Golf Club, when the Spanish golf news network, Ten Golf, released a report. According to the report, Reed—who is now a member of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf league—approached McIlroy, but his attempt to say hello to the Irishman was disregarded. In response, Reed flung a tee in McIlroy’s general direction, apparently upset that the PGA Tour spokesman wouldn’t acknowledge him. 

24 hours went by before Ten Golf released a video clip of that very interaction. In the snippet, Reed says hello to McIlroy’s caddie, Harry Diamond. McIlroy, however, is seen bending down to adjust his launch monitor when Reed approaches, and does not turn around to greet him, as alleged. 

As Reed is walking away, he gently tosses what looks to be a tee in McIlroy’s general direction. 

Following the release of the report and the video clip, McIlroy addressed the media in Dubai, defending his actions. 

“I was down by my bag and he came up to me, and I was busy working and sort of doing my practice, and I didn’t really feel like—I didn’t feel the need to acknowledge him,” McIlroy said.

“I got a subpoena on Christmas Eve. I mean I don’t see your—like you can’t pretend nothing’s happening, right? I think that’s the thing. Like why—we are living in reality here.”

McIlroy is referencing the subpoena he received from Reed’s lawyer, Larry Klayman, regarding the ongoing lawsuit involving the PGA Tour and LIV Golf. 

When one reporter wondered whether there would be an effort by both players to make peace, McIlroy’s lack of response was loud and clear. 

Next, it was Reed’s turn to respond. According to Golf Monthly and the Daily Mail, Reed clarified that he had “nothing to do” with the lawsuit McIlroy cited and thought his tee flick was a “funny shot back” when the 2022 Tour Champion ignored him. 

“Harry shook my hand and Rory just looked down there and was messing with his Trackman and kind of decided to ignore us. We all know where it came from, being part of LIV. Since my tees are Team Aces LIV tees I flicked him one,” Reed said. 

Reed and McIlroy are only able to compete side-by-side this week because the DP World Tour and LIV Golf are awaiting the results of an arbitration case. While that decision looms, eligible LIV golfers are permitted to play on the DP World Tour. The next time that Reed and McIlroy will tee it up at the same venue will almost certainly be at Augusta National for the 2023 Masters. 

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Gabrielle Herzig
GABRIELLE HERZIG

Gabrielle Herzig is a Breaking and Trending News writer for Sports Illustrated Golf. Previously, she worked as a Golf Digest Contributing Editor, an NBC Sports Digital Editorial Intern, and a Production Runner for FOX Sports at the site of the 2018 U.S. Open. Gabrielle graduated as a Politics Major from Pomona College in Claremont, California, where she was a four-year member and senior-year captain of the Pomona-Pitzer women’s golf team. In her junior year, Gabrielle studied abroad in Scotland for three months, where she explored the Home of Golf by joining the Edinburgh University Golf Club.

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