Again, those in charge of things say Patrick Reed did not cheat, again. It looked like the duck, walked like the duck, all that, but he was within the rules while winning the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in San Diego.
In review, he had an incident in the third round in which he said he had an embedded ball on the 10th hole. He picked it up. Then he called a rules official over. Then he got the free drop from the official for a much better lie and made a par.
Golf means never touching the ball in play until you mark it properly on the putting surface. Excuse a lot of golf fans for believing right away that he was cheating. I can’t shake from my opinion of him that he has cheated before and will likely do it again.
REED NEEDS OFFICIAL ON SPEED DIAL
I keep thinking, dude, with your reputation you must call a rules official over first – on anything.
Anything questionable, even the most basic ruling, Mr. Reed should call on a rules official.
He’s a torch in a hay field because of his reputation. If he sees a $1 bill on the cart path, he should call a rules official over.
The idea he cheats goes back to stuff college teammates said about him, and it seems to crop up again and again.
He is supremely talented. He doesn’t need to cheat. He was the best player in the field all week at Torrey.
THE VIDEO LOOKED SHAKY MAN
But there on video, the ball bounced a few feet in the air and then settled in the rough near the green. Apparently a hole volunteer didn’t see it bounce. Playing partners didn’t see it.
It made it that much harder to believe the ball could be imbedded because it didn’t bomb in there and not bounce.
Then he walked up to the spot, bent down and picked up the ball.
Dude, again, don’t touch it. Call a rules official over FIRST.
Even Jim Nantz, the golden-voiced television guy who seemingly is pals with all the golfers, went suspiciously quiet on this one.
He knows. We all know. Reed is arrogant, fiery, competitive, but he has a lurking ugly shadow.
ONLY THE SHADOW KNOWS
Fellow PGA Tour player Xander Schauffele, who finished five strokes back in a tie for second, said what a lot of us were thinking.
“I mean, he did everything by the book according to the official and everyone stood by there,” he said. “Obviously 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.”
I guess.
I’m not as impressed with his win as I should be. Can we get a rules official over here?
Photo from Golf.com
