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sports Wednesday 3 February 2021
Reed’s reputation from Bahamas the ultimate penalty

By DOUG FERGUSON rules official working the
AP Golf Writer broadcast, Ken Tackett,
The violation was so egre- suggested the “best prac-
gious that Rickie Fowler, tice” would be to leave the
glancing at the replay on ball where it was until the
television, quickly raised his official arrived. That would
eyebrows and said: “Whoa! eliminate anything ques-
What was THAT?” tionable.
It was Patrick Reed. And with Reed, there are
This was just over a year bound to be questions.
ago in the Bahamas, the Adding to the firestorm was
day Reed infamously used video that clearly showed
the back of his wedge to the ball bounced forward.
scoop away sand — twice That doesn’t change any-
— from behind his golf ball thing. Players can act on
in a waste bunker, improv- only what they know at the
ing his line of play. Only time.
when he was shown video But with Reed, it changes
evidence did Reed accept everything, and his re-
the two-shot penalty, but sponse after the round only
not before suggesting the raised another question.
camera angle made it look “If we saw the ball bounce
worse than it was. or if someone said the ball
The penalty, as it turns out, Patrick Reed stands on the South Course while holding his trophy for winning the Farmers Insurance bounced, then I never
was worth more than two Open golf tournament at Torrey Pines, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2021, in San Diego. Associated Press would have marked the
shots. golf ball,” he said. “You
There is no greater punish- during an otherwise idyllic ball bounced. “No, I didn’t feet away. Reed showed know when the ball bounc-
ment in golf than being Saturday afternoon at Tor- see it bounce,” the volun- him where the ball was, es, it’s almost impossible for
stuck with a reputation for rey Pines. teered replied. Fabel poked around and it to break the plane.”
cheating. Moving past this one will be He turned to his playing agreed there was a “lip,” McIlroy unwittingly came
Reed was always going almost impossible. partners, PGA Tour rookie meaning the ball had bro- to his rescue by having the
to have a hard time living As far as the PGA Tour is Will Gordon and second- ken the plane of the soil. same thing happen, which
down that incident. concerned, Reed did noth- year player Robby Shel- Free drop. wasn’t discovered by CBS
It followed him to Austra- ing wrong on the 10th hole ton, and told them, “They The procedure Reed fol- until after the third round. It
lia, where the fans were so of the third round at the said it didn’t bounce,” and lowed wasn’t illegal. It appears his ball on the 18th
abusive his caddie got into Farmers Insurance Open. that he would check for an wasn’t even necessary for hole went slightly forward,
it with a spectator and was And according to the Rules embedded lie. Crouching him to call for an official. though video wasn’t quite
replaced for the final day of Golf, which relies on over, he marked the spot Rory McIlroy didn’t ask for a as clear as it was for Reed.
of the Presidents Cup. It facts over reputation, the with a tee, put the ball in ruling when the same thing “On my life, that ball of
stayed with him in the chill tour was right. the palm of his hand and happened on the 18th hole mine was plugged, it was in
environment of Kapalua, “He operated the way the kept probing the turf for that day. And according to its own pitch mark, so I took
where a spectator yelled rules permit him to oper- about 5 seconds when he McIlroy, Rory Sabbatini also relief,” McIlroy said.
“CHEATER!” after Reed hit ate,” said John Mutch, the called for an official. And took relief from an embed- By the book.
a putt in a playoff. A few tour’s senior tournament di- then he poked around for ded ball on the 15th hole Except the names of the
weeks later in San Diego, rector. another five seconds. Saturday. characters are different.
Reed asked police to re- This was about optics. Most- “I believe it broke ground, The rule (16-3) allows play- “We know who they are,”
move hecklers. ly, it was about Reed. but I’m going to let you ers to proceed as if the ball Tom Watson said long ago,
The verbal abuse was si- He pulled his approach make that call,” Reed told is embedded provided it is without offering names,
lenced by golf not having from a fairway bunker Brad Fabel, the rules offi- “reasonable to conclude” when asked about cheat-
fans because of the pan- into thick grass left of the cial. based on the information ing on the PGA Tour. The list
demic. 10th green. Approaching Fabel didn’t immediately at hand. probably is longer than the
And then more outrage in- where a volunteer had know what he was talking Reed wasn’t careful, either. people who run golf and
volving Reed, fueled might- marked the spot with a about because Reed had The lie was suspect enough preach its honor system
ily by social media, arrived tiny flag, Reed asked if the placed the ball about 8 to call for a ruling. Even the would like to admit. q

Federer targets tournament comeback

in Qatar next month

BASEL, Switzerland (AP) — champion said he pre- with injury. Federer said
Roger Federer is aiming to ferred a smaller tourna- he could play one more
play his first tournament af- ment where he “wouldn’t event after Doha — the
ter two knee surgeries and be in the spotlight too following week at his off-
more than one year out in much and the stress is also season base in Dubai is an
Qatar next month. a little less.” Now 39, Fe- option — and then focus
Federer told Swiss radio derer last played in Janu- on the clay-court season.
station SRF on Tuesday he ary 2020 at the Australian His main targets are Wim- In this Jan. 30, 2020 file photo, Switzerland’s Roger Federer
serves to Serbia’s Novak Djokovic during their semifinal match
has targeted the Doha Open, losing in the semi- bledon, the Tokyo Olym- at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne,
Open from March 8-13. finals to Novak Djokovic pics and, after he turns 40, Australia.
The 20-time Grand Slam while clearly struggling the U.S. Open.q Associated Press