Since his college years, Patrick Reed has been the target of accusations of cheating and theft. The LIV Golf star has responded to the claims in the lead-up to the Masters.
Patrick Reed has dismissed allegations that he was “cheating” and “stealing” while playing college golf, calling the charges “BS.”
With nine PGA Tour victories and three DP World Tour victories under his belt, Reed has cemented his place among the best players of his generation in recent years. The American’s victory as the Masters champion at Augusta National in 2018 was the high point.
But controversy has dogged his career at times. The former green jacket winner has frequently been called the pantomime villain of professional golf, particularly when it comes to his performances during the Ryder Cup.
His career took off while he was a student at the University of Georgia, where he was accused by Shane Ryan’s book, “Slaying the Tiger: A Year Inside the Ropes on the New PGA Tour,” of stealing from his teammates and cheating in a college match.
Reed refuted the accusations made against him, telling Golf.com, “I’m not sure where that stuff came from.” Not sure. “No, he never stole or cheated ever,” was written in statements that both coaches had signed. That stuff is obviously BS in my opinion. Who [made the accusations] is unknown to me.
“It is all these unidentified sources; no one is really giving it a name. Therefore, I’m not sure how or why something like that was released.” Reed left Georgia to play college ball for Augusta State, where he helped the team win consecutive NCAA Division I championships in 2010 and 2011.
Reed continued, explaining his reasoning for moving from Georgia to Augusta: “I left UGA because I wasn’t happy there. To tell the truth, I’m glad I did because I can’t imagine what those next few years would have been like if I hadn’t.
“When you’re depressed, you lack motivation for many things. As a result, I moved to a location where I believed I would be happier. As a result, I worked harder and was able to reach my goal, which is to be here.” This week, Reed’s focus will be on Augusta as he pursues his second green jacket.
The American has a strong record going into the event at the storied major championship held in Georgia. Since winning in 2018, he has placed in the top-10 three times, including a tie for fourth place a year ago. This year’s Masters field consists of 13 players from LIV Golf, including the 4Aces star.
