Patrick Reed - The Villain?

D Hayes

One of the best golf articles I've read in a long time.

To say Reed has a checkered pass is putting it lightly. Have to say, his match-play record is excellent, and he has the drive, focus and ability to win majors. Likeable character though? I'll let you decide...

richbohs

Very good article, i read it earlier this week. Will keep an eye out for the book when it comes out.

HighLine

Great article and very telling. You see when I look at a player who repeatedly watches his drives sail into a crowd of unsuspecting spectators without uttering a word, I'm not surprised to hear he is an alleged cheat and an alleged thief. Why.. because it is clear he lacks respect and integrity. Then again, there are a lot of players on tour who are also mute.

PARlance

Sensationalist piece released in the hope of selling a few books imo.

Reed's comments about being a Top 5 player this time last year have really given some people great mileage.

He slips in the fact that Reed is actually a decent guy in person as an aside:
"charming. I found the same to be true—the angry tyrant I had watched on the course was never in evidence in a one-on-one setting. I enjoyed my time in West Virginia with him and Justine more than most of my interviews with Tour players, and despite the moments when his account departed from the truth, I thought of him as a good storyteller with more personal charisma than I’d expected"

The slurs around cheating and being a thief (that frame the article) are ridiculous imo, but that's Murica for you. Very little libel laws. Based on a few (bitter?) teammates that didnt make it.

I'm sure Reed may be a prize p***k on the course, he's not alone there and the characteristics that make someone one of these are probably required to make it to the top in golf for many... extreme confidence, self belief, determination, selfishness etc

I very much doubt that piece would have read the same if Reed hadn't made the Top 5 comment.

Dealerz

I read the piece a few weeks ago, from what I remember, I disagree parlance, it was his former coaches that accused him of cheating/theft, not teammates out for a quick buck on the back of his fame.

Even the quoted piece above states that reeds accounts "departed" from the truth, more than once, would lead me to believe he makes his own truth of a character flawed situation....sure even his own parents had concerns about his character, not a great endorsement.


Having said all that, I enjoyed it for what it was, a good read about reed!

PARlance

Dealerz wrote: »

I read the piece a few weeks ago, from what I remember, I disagree parlance, it was his former coaches that accused him of cheating/theft, not teammates out for a quick buck on the back of his fame.

Even the quoted piece above states that reeds accounts "departed" from the truth, more than once, would lead me to believe he makes his own truth of a character flawed situation....sure even his own parents had concerns about his character, not a great endorsement.


Having said all that, I enjoyed it for what it was, a good read about reed!

He also said that most Pros don't tell the truth.
I'm just not a fan of that type of article. Completely unbalanced in my view and quite clearly a PR stunt using the easiest of targets in Reed.

I think it would be extremely easy to write a negative piece about 99.9% of Pros if you wanted to. Some of the game's greats had plenty of problems but usually people have more crass than to write about them... Because we all have flaws at the end of the day.

Anyway, 'twas an interesting read but I'm not a fan of the angle taken.

Dealerz

He did have his right to reply in the article, the first exchange between the journalist and mr & mrs reed, he was asked for a reply to the Ian o'connor article which first brought the accusations to light.

He first denied he read it
Then his wife told him he read it
Then he remembered he read it


".....move along there folks nothing to see"

I'm not saying he should be thrown off the tour, and as you say there are far more flawed characters on tour, however the article does do a decent job of highlighting a past mr & mrs reed do not want back in the spotlight.

ForeRight

I like Reed. We have enough goody two shoes like oh golly Matty Kutcher.

It's nice to see someone with pure desire and commited spirit unchecked on the course. At least Reed is a c u next Tuesday on the course and "supposedly" a nice guy off it where it really matters.

Unlike the shooter mcgavins of the pga tour.

Rikand

I love Reed. I loved his top 5 comment last year. Showed a man who was full of confidence and hes had wins to back up that confidence. similar to Poulter with that unshakable self belief. I do think he will be top 5 one day and at the time he made the comment he probably was in the top 5 of the golfers who were playing at that moment in time.

I loved him at the Ryder Cup. The Fist pumps, the rising the crowd. The game needs more characters like him not less. I hope he's around for a very long time and I hope he doesn't lose any of that passion. Passion like that is exactly what the game needs

Dealerz

Story on golf central daily today: he had his parents ejected by police from the 2014 us open!

Nice!

ForeRight

Dealerz wrote: »

Story on golf central daily today: he had his parents ejected by police from the 2014 us open!

Nice!

Don't think he did.

I read that Patrick was playing and his wife asked security to eject them at some stage. No idea what the background situation is or what the reason was though.
Either way he was playing golf and didn't have anything to do with it.

Dealerz

Phew, thanks for clarifying, that puts my mind at ease! For a second I thought it was just him that was a class a c*nt!

PARlance

Dealerz wrote: »

Phew, thanks for clarifying, that puts my mind at ease! For a second I thought it was just him that was a class a c*nt!

The parents could be class A c**ts for all we know. I'm sure someone (or his wife) doesn't take a decision to eject their parents without reason.

razorblunt

I like Reed, he's a character, there's enough beige, bland characters on the tour to bore the socks off you.
Sad situation with the parents, but there's allegations of the Dad at least living vicariously through the son, and they don't paint a good picture of themselves on twitter, so he might be better off without them.

Looking forward to following him at the Open this year.

Dealerz

PARlance wrote: »

The parents could be class A c**ts for all we know. I'm sure someone (or his wife) doesn't take a decision to eject their parents without reason.

Apparently they expressed the view that they thought he was too young to get married, and haven't spoke to him since the wedding!

HighLine

PARlance wrote: »

The parents could be class A c**ts for all we know.

And the younger sister too?

ForeRight

Dealerz wrote: »

Phew, thanks for clarifying, that puts my mind at ease! For a second I thought it was just him that was a class a c*nt!

Maybe they put out their cigarettes on Patrick's face when he was a kid. Who knows but there has to be a lot going on that we don't know about and also that is none of our business at all.

It's definstely not something I would be basing an opinion of the guy on considering we know very few facts

Dealerz

I heard the parents kept him in a dark corner as a child, and every time he tried to speak they "sssshhh"ed him....so the shhhh we saw at the Ryder cup was a nervous tic that happens him under pressure!

Anyways I think I have kicked the article to death at this stage

ForeRight

Dealerz wrote: »

I heard the parents kept him in a dark corner as a child, and every time he tried to speak they "sssshhh"ed him....so the shhhh we saw at the Ryder cup was a nervous tic that happens him under pressure!

Anyways I think I have kicked the article to death at this stage

I'd buy that theory

Panrich

I took a dislike to him when he did the interview saying he was top 5. Didn't like the arrogance and thought, I'll enjoy seeing you being taken down a few pegs, but....

I thought he was immensely brave at the Ryder Cup. He has cojones. He may not be a very likable character but he can back it up. He adds something to the game. I'd rather watch him in contention down the stretch against Rory than Kuchar. We need our villians.

John Divney

I was always pulling for him after the press blew the top 5 thing so ridiculously out of proportion and stitched him up, but the cheating thing yeeeesh, although he was 17/18

I have no problem him being a d*ick to those college lads at Augusta though, they should thank their lucky stars they ever met him.

spacecoyote

http://deadspin.com/patrick-reed-takes-a-swing-at-defending-himself-slices-1691181098

Follow up piece off the back of article that was posted here previously

BigChap1759

Dealerz wrote: »

He did have his right to reply in the article, the first exchange between the journalist and mr & mrs reed, he was asked for a reply to the Ian o'connor article which first brought the accusations to light.

He first denied he read it
Then his wife told him he read it
Then he remembered he read it


".....move along there folks nothing to see"

I'm not saying he should be thrown off the tour, and as you say there are far more flawed characters on tour, however the article does do a decent job of highlighting a past mr & mrs reed do not want back in the spotlight.

Very good of you!!

Really nothing to see here, all rumour of nothing much - so the guy is an arse in a competitive environment, join the queue!

markie4

BigChap1759 wrote: »

Very good of you!!

Really nothing to see here, all rumour of nothing much - so the guy is an arse in a competitive environment, join the queue!

I think it's gotten to a bit more than that now...........the accusations are getting very specific

http://www.weiunderpar.com/post/a-former-teammate-speaks-out-on-patrick-reeds-suspension-at-augusta-state

Dealerz

BigChap1759 wrote: »

Very good of you!!

Really nothing to see here, all rumour of nothing much - so the guy is an arse in a competitive environment, join the queue!

Thanks for your prompt reply!

BigChap1759

markie4 wrote: »

I think it's gotten to a bit more than that now...........the accusations are getting very specific

http://www.weiunderpar.com/post/a-former-teammate-speaks-out-on-patrick-reeds-suspension-at-augusta-state

Hang 'im I say.....

ForeRight

All his ex college team mates from when he is accused of the cheating have backed the guy who wrote the article. They are all re tweeting and giving kudos to the book writer(can't think of his name)

PARlance

ForeRight wrote: »

All his ex college team mates from when he is accused of the cheating have backed the guy who wrote the article. They are all re tweeting and giving kudos to the book writer(can't think of his name)

Probably tweeting in between flipping burgers.... A joke, but I'm seeing jealousy and bitterness from college jocks that never made it more than I'm seeing a villain in Reed here.

The height of the accusations is that he lied to his college coach about his scores in 2 practice rounds. Not good if true, but we only have their word on it.
But assuming it is true, I still don't think it's a hanging offence... It's not right, but I could put it down to pressure to succeed and very bad judgement on Reed's behalf... in terms of trying to impress his coach.
There's nothing to suggest that he ever cheated in a competitive round, they also confirm this and also say that he never lied again.

So I would class him more as a liar than a cheat. He's been accused of lying about his performance in 2 practice rounds over the space of his career.
By the same guys that are happy to spread rumours that he stole from them despite having no evidence.

And if the golfing world want to get hung up on lies, they may want to have a look at the game in general... 6 month breaks, Tiger and his famous doctor etc.

ForeRight

I agree lance.

Either way he is where he is now by playing top class golf. They are slaughtering him over drink related incidents. Big deal sure everyone has them in their past from college days.

As you say there seems to be a lot of bitter lads who didn't make the grade like him.

I think reed would be better off just ignoring it all and letting his golf now do the talking. He is addressing it a lot and I don't think that's a good idea. He will talk himself into trouble.

Leave it be and it will go away.

rocky911

Whether it is true or not.. the man is talented.

Golfgorfield

He is unquestionably a douche-bag but its a pity this is all being aired so publicly, i feel a little sorry for him as even though hes very unlike-able hes good for the game and a hell of a player.

Milkers

PARlance wrote: »

Probably tweeting in between flipping burgers.... A joke, but I'm seeing jealousy and bitterness from college jocks that never made it more than I'm seeing a villain in Reed here.

If all it took were jealousy of an unpopular touring pro for these kind of allegations to surface we would have seen hundreds of such cases over the years. There are lots of a-holes on the tour and you can be sure countless jealous ex-teammates out there. Reed is obviously a fairly horrible person or at least was at one point in his life.

Great golfer though.

PARlance

Milkers wrote: »

Reed is obviously a fairly horrible person or at least was at one point in his life.

Yip... obviously. Lock him up.

Rikand

Patrick Reed - The Hero

Thats what this thread should be called!

crusier

I think I'll be backing him a bit more at the bookies from here on! He'll win majors

vienne86

Really surprised he got beaten in the playoff last night. When I saw him drive first, and whack a drive right down the middle, I reckoned that was that.

razorblunt

vienne86 wrote: »

Really surprised he got beaten in the playoff last night. When I saw him drive first, and whack a drive right down the middle, I reckoned that was that.

Yep he seems to thrive in matchplay situations.

I must say as a character I like him, will follow him at The Open in August.