US Presidents Cup player Patrick Reed caught up in ‘cheating’ storm on eve of Royal Melbourne visit
Although he's adamant he did nothing wrong, Patrick Reed comes to Australia next week with an unsightly stigma hanging over his head after seemingly fudging the rules during a tournament in the Bahamas.
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Former Masters champion Patrick Reed will fly into Australia as public enemy No.1 after being branded a cheat.
Reed, who is a team USA captain’s pick for next week’s Presidents Cup in Melbourne, was caught on camera seemingly fudging the rules at the Hero World Challenge.
Reed is alleged to have not once, but twice moved sand from behind his ball at the Tiger Woods’ tournament in the Bahamas.
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Footage of Reed’s actions on the 11th hole at Albany went viral on social media, with rules officials hitting him with a two-stroke penalty for improving his lie in a sanded waste area (bunker).
As per the rules of golf, players can ground their club in waste areas but cannot improve their capability to play a shot by “removing or pressing down sand or loose soil.”
Reed remains adamant he did nothing wrong knowingly and that a single camera angle, from behind, and which twice shows the Texan flicking sand during practice swings, is deceptive.
“It was in a full footprint and I felt my club was that far behind the ball when I was taking a practice swing,” Reed said.
“It was obviously hitting a bit of sand, though I didn’t feel any drag.
“But when they brought it up for me (on the TV) I definitely saw it drag and, because of that, it is a two-shot penalty even though I didn’t feel like it would have affected my lie.
“I don’t ever put the club directly behind the ball in a situation like that as I am scared of it moving.
“I told them there was no intent (officials) and it was far enough away from the ball, but they didn’t have another camera angle to show that and they felt it might have been improving the lie.”
But in the eyes of the wider public and as commentator and major winner Paul Azinger said: “If that’s not improving your lie, I don’t know what is.’’