Rory McIlroy and Patrick Reed had an unpleasant exchange on the driving range while preparing for this week’s Dubai Desert Classic, and video has surfaced that shows what happened.
A report on Tuesday claimed Reed tried to greet McIlroy on the driving range at the Emirates Golf Club, where golfers were preparing for this week’s DP World Tour event. McIlroy completely ignored Reed, which did not sit well with the 2018 Masters champion. Before he walked away, Reed supposedly reached into his pocket and threw a tee in McIlroy’s direction.
To say that Reed threw the tee at McIlroy would be an exaggeration. A video of the exchange that circulated on Wednesday shows Reed walking over and shaking hands with McIlroy’s caddie, Harry Diamond. McIlroy did not look up, which seemed to annoy Reed. Reed then reached into his pocket and tossed something on the ground near McIlroy. You can see the clip below:
Apparent footage of the Rory Reed tee 'throwing' incident. Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/r35kjE6hO8
— Golf Tips Checker (@GolfTipsChecker) January 25, 2023
McIlroy was asked on Wednesday about the incident. He confirmed that he ignored Reed when Reed tried to greet him. McIlroy said Reed “came up to say hello, and I didn’t really want him to,” according to The Associated Press.
McIlroy said he did not know anything about Reed throwing a tee, but he was aware that witnesses claimed to have it. Had he done that to Reed, McIlroy says Reed probably would have sued him.
“Apparently that’s what happened. And if roles were reversed and I’d have thrown that tee at him, I’d be expecting him [to file] a lawsuit,” McIlroy said.
Reed, who left the PGA Tour to join LIV Golf in June, filed a massive defamation lawsuit against analyst Brandel Chamblee and Golf Channel last month. He claimed in the suit that Chamblee and Golf Channel intentionally made him look bad because he chose to sign with LIV.
McIlroy told reporters Wednesday that he was served a subpoena by Reed’s lawyers on Christmas Eve. He did not go into detail, but it seems like that is why he wants nothing to do with his fellow competitor.
“Of course, trying to have a nice time with my family and someone shows up on your doorstep and delivers that, you’re not going to take that well,” McIlroy said. “So again, I’m living in reality, I don’t know where he’s living. If I were in his shoes, I wouldn’t expect a hello or a handshake.”
Reed was a polarizing figure on the PGA Tour before he left for LIV, so his decision has only ramped up the animosity between golfers in both leagues. McIlroy has been at the center of a lot of the drama between the PGA Tour and LIV.
