LIV golf rebel Patrick Reed “threw a tee at Rory McIlroy” after being snubbed by world No. 1 on the range at the Dubai Desert Classic
Patrick Reed is said to have thrown a golf tee at Rory McIlroy after he was snubbed by the world No. 1 at the Dubai Desert Classic on Tuesday.
According to a Spanish website, ten-golf.com, LIV rebel Reed is said to have approached McIlroy on the range at Emirates Golf Club and welcomed the four-time Major winner, who has been one of the breakaway series’ most outspoken critics.
McIlroy reportedly ignored the gesture and prompted Reed to respond by pulling a t-shirt from his pocket and flicking it at him.
LIV golf rebel Patrick Reed is said to have thrown a tee to Rory McIlroy in the range spit on Tuesday
Though a minor dispute, the scenario seems to touch on the uneasiness felt across the gulf landscape since LIV’s arrival last year.
Nine LIV golfers are scheduled to tee off at the DP World Tour this week ahead of next month’s arbitration hearing in Dubai, which will determine whether they can continue to compete at the European circuit.
Previously, Reed had endorsed LIV’s Underfire CEO Greg Norman.
World No. 1 McIlroy has been one of the most outspoken critics of the Breakaway series
The quarrelsome Australian has been told by both McIlroy and Tiger Woods that he will have to resign if there is to be any prospect of a working relationship between LIV and the traditional tours.
When asked if Norman was the right man for the post, Reed, who plays at the Desert Classic, said, “He seems to be doing a great job.
“The interactions I’ve had with him have been great and I have no issues with Mr. Norman. I’m really enjoying that he’s a part of LIV.”
Despite calls for Norman’s departure, recent developments at LIV point to a strengthening of his position with the departure of Majed Al-Sorour, their chief executive, which in turn followed the sudden departure in December of their influential chief operating officer Atul Khosla.
According to LIV, Al-Sorour, a director at Newcastle United and CEO of the Saudi Golf Federation, will retain a seat on their board but will “focus efforts and attention on other interests”.
His exit comes just under a month before the start of LIV’s second season, for which no new players have been announced despite hopes of up to seven new additions. It is understood they will sign world No. 44 Mito Pereira and are pushing for Belgium’s Thomas Pieters, who competes in the DP World Tour’s Dubai Desert Classic this week.