Patrick Reed responds to ‘tree-gate’ and refuses to confess to error

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Patrick Reed has refused to admit to any wrongdoing following the ‘tree-gate’ incident that overshadowed his second placed finish in the Dubai Desert Classic. The LIV Golf defector had already been in the eye of a media storm after throwing a tee at Rory McIlroy in practice, and then again courted controversy during his third round after his tee shot on the par-4 17th at Emirates Golf Club appeared to land in a palm tree.

Under current rules, if a ball gets stuck in a tree and a player can identify it, he can take a drop with a one-stroke penalty as opposed to returning to the tee. The former Masters champion was adamant he could identify his ball by the marking on it, and subsequently took a drop. A DP European Tour statement seemingly backed up the American.

“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” they said. “The DP World Tour chief referee joined the player in the area and asked him to identify his distinctive ball markings.” They added the chief referee was “satisfied that a ball with those markings was lodged in the tree.”

But slow-motion television replays suggested otherwise. Reed appeared to play his second shot from a different tree to where his drive landed, a notion not lost on Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee. The pundit argued that the wrong tree was likely identified – but Reed has now responded defiantly.

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“Some people love controversy,” Reed tweeted. “But what happened on the 17th hole at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic was a non-issue. As the DP World Tour confirmed, I was not asked to identify the tree my ball struck (that was done by the ShotLink volunteers and several marshals), I was asked to describe the distinct markings on the ball I was playing.”

Reed also added” “maybe it’s time we get back to playing some golf!” But given the 32-year-old has previously been at the centre of multiple rules incidents, his explanation has inevitably been greeted with widespread scepticism.

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At the 2019 Hero World Challenge, he was given a two-stroke penalty for tampering with the sand with his club to give himself an easier bunker shot. But regardless, the saga didn’t affect the outcome in Dubai.

In a dramatic final round, with Reed in the clubhouse on 17-under, it was McIlroy who took the title with a superb birdie on the last. It was a significant victory given the tension between the pair, with the Northern Irishman having been ussued with a subpoena on Christmas Eve in relation to one of Reed’s multiple ongoing lawsuits.

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