'P*sses us off': Rivals turn on Patrick Reed over fresh 'cheating' storm

A number of fellow golfers have spoken out against Patrick Reed after the American star was embroiled in a fresh ‘cheating’ controversy at the US PGA Tour’s Farmers Insurance Open.

Reed shrugged off a rules furore a day earlier to claim a runaway five-shot victory on Sunday, the largest winning margin of his nine career wins.

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However the controversy that occurred on Saturday overshadowed the victory.

Reed sparked fresh claims of ‘cheating’ when he picked up his ball to see if it was embedded before a rules official arrived, and he was subsequently allowed a free drop.

Replays showed Reed’s ball had bounced before sinking into deep rough, which he later admitted would suggest it didn’t embed, but no one was aware of that at the time.

Reed, who has had rules-related issues in the past, including at the 2019 Hero World Challenge, faced several media questions about it afterward and said he believed he handled the matter properly, given what he knew. Tour officials agreed.

However fans and a number of his rivals still aren’t impressed.

Asked if he would have picked up his ball like Reed before the official arrived, Xander Schauffele said he would not have.

“I would wait for an official. He did everything by the book according to the official and everyone stood by there,” Schauffele said.

“The talk amongst the boys isn't great, I guess, but he's protected by the Tour and that's all that matters, I guess.”

Lanto Griffin said players were “p*ssed off”.

“Golf’s a game of sportsmanship and it’s tough to put us in the spot to call him out because we weren't there, but at the end of the day I think 99 percent of the golfers out here, if it's in question one way or the other, they're going to go the other way, not taking a drop, it didn't cross, that type of deal,” he said.

“So, it's tough to see, it’s sad, kind of pisses us off, but it's the way it is. Hopefully something changes and come to a conclusion.”

Patrick Reed shrugs off controversy to win

Reed closed with a four-under 68 at Torrey Pines on Sunday, making an eagle on the par-5 sixth and finishing off his ninth PGA Tour title with a birdie on the 18th as he finished 14 under.

“I was allowed to kind of put it behind me when the head rules official comes up and says you did everything you were supposed to do,” Reed said.

“When you do everything you're supposed to do, at the end of the day that's all you can control.

“Going into today, I felt good, I felt confident and really went to the golf course, plugged in my headphones and just kind of got in my world with my coach and got to that first tee.”

Sharing the lead overnight, Reed jump-started his final round with a 45-foot eagle putt on the sixth hole to get to 12 under and followed with a birdie on the par-4 seventh.

His only bogey was on the par-3 eighth, and he rebounded with a birdie on the par-5 ninth. He played par the rest of the way until sinking an 8-foot birdie putt on No. 18.

Tony Finau (69), Schauffele (69), Ryan Palmer (70), Sweden's Henrik Norlander (69) and young Norwegian star Viktor Hovland (71) all tied for second.

Australia’s Adam Scott went backwards with a 73, including four bogeys, to finish tied 10th, seven shots behind fellow former Masters champion Reed.

Marc Leishman was the next best Australian, tied 18th after a 70 while Cameron Davis (73) was tied 32nd, Cameron Percy (72) and Matt Jones (71) tied 48th on even par and Rhein Gibson (74) was a shot further back.

Joint overnight leader Carlos Ortiz stumbled badly with a round of 6-over 78 and tied 29th.

with AAP

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