Was Patrick Reed LYING about his ball in Dubai trees? New footage PROVES it wasn’t where he claimed he saw it – through binoculars – before 275-yard let-off helped him catch tee-gate rival Rory McIlroy
There has been more controversy surrounding Patrick Reed, as new footage appears to show that he was wrong in claiming that he could spot his ball in a palm tree.
In a bizarre incident at the 17th hole on Sunday, Reed, using binoculars and assisted by the tournament referee, claimed he could spot his ball in the tree.
This enabled Rory McIlroy’s rival to take a penalty drop adjacent to the tree, rather than the more costly option of returning 275 yards to the tee – as would have been the case if he could not make a definitive identification.
New footage from NBC Golf though proved that he couldn’t see the ball in the tree, as it actually appeared to hit a different one to the one he claimed it was stuck in.
Patrick Reed (right) was involved in a controversial rules decision at the Dubai Desert Classic
Reed (behind the tree) used binoculars to claim that he could spot his ball in a palm tree
Footage from NBC though proves that he couldn’t see the ball in the tree as it didn’t go in it – though the American got a penalty drop adjacent to the tree instead of returning to the tee
The 2018 Masters champion, went on to escape the hole with a bogey, prior finishing to finishing 11 under and four back of McIlroy at the end of Sunday.
Reed though has been in stunning form on Monday and as of the 13th hole, is now level with McIlroy – even though he likely would have still been behind if he had been sent back to the tee on Sunday.
Some social media users had pointed to television footage which made them believe that the ball entered a different tree to the one where he claimed he could see his Titleist ProvV1.
NBC golf analyst Brandel Chamblee said while watching the footage: ‘You can see that first tree right there – the one he said it was in was the third one farthest to the left over there – but it disappears in this first one.
‘It just disappears right there, so for it to be in that third one it would have to be much higher up in that one over there and it would have to be further to the left to get in that third tree.
‘It’s hitting tee-side of that tree so it’s likely to bounce over to the tee or to the fairway or over into the sand – but we didn’t see it bounce.’
Reed (right) pictured with a tournament official who also looked through binoculars at the tree
The footage proves that Rory McIlroy’s rival should have been sent back to the tee in Dubai
Reed, who has previously drawn attention over rules scenarios during his career, said: ‘I got lucky that we were able to look through the binoculars and you have to make sure it’s your ball and how I mark my golf balls is I always put an arrow on the end of my line.
‘You could definitely see and identify the line with the arrow on the end, and the rules official was there to reconfirm and check it to make sure it was mine as well.’
Reed’s version was supported by tournament officials. A DP World Tour statement read: ‘Two on course referees and several marshals identified that Patrick Reed’s ball had become lodged in a specific tree following his tee shot on 17.
‘Using binoculars, the chief referee was satisfied that a ball with those markings was lodged in the tree.
‘To clarify, the player was not asked to specify the tree but to identify his distinctive ball markings to confirm it was his ball.’
Reed’s time in the Middle East has so far been marked with controversy following a tee throwing incident involving him and McIlroy
The situation follows the saga in which Reed flicked a tee at McIlroy on the driving range on Tuesday after the world No 1 ignored had ignored his greeting.
Owing to the desert storm thrown up by such a chain of events, anticipation had grown that they might eventually be paired together in Dubai, but McIlroy’s third-round 65 killed off that possibility.
Despite continuing his wayward striking off the tee – the Northern Irishman missed another eight fairways on Sunday – there was enough quality in his approach play that McIlroy is in a strong position to win his season-opener for the first time in his career.
His score would have been even more comfortable had he not dumped his second stroke into the water guarding the green at the par-five 18th – an identical mistake to the one which cost him a third victory at this tournament last year.
As of the 13th hole on Monday though, it was Reed who had the momentum behind him and is now level with McIlroy.
Advertisement