Patrick Reed has given his side of the story after reports, and a video clip, emerged of him being ignored by Rory McIlroy on the driving range at this week's Dubai Desert Classic before flicking a tee on the ground towards the Northern Irishman.
McIlroy said he didn't want to talk to Reed and spoke of how he received a subpoena from Reed's law firm Klayman Law Group at his house on Christmas Eve amid the ongoing PGA Tour vs LIV court case. He also described the entire incident as "a storm in a teacup."
Reed has said the subpoena was "nothing to do with me," with it being related to the wider PGA Tour vs LIV case, where Klayman Law Group is acting on behalf of LIV Golf, and not his $820m defamation case against the likes of Brandel Chamblee, the Golf Channel, Eamon Lynch, Golfweek, Gannett and others.
“Patrick came up to say hello and I didn't really want him to," McIlroy said.
“I was subpoenaed by his lawyer on Christmas Eve. So of course, trying to have a nice time with my family and someone shows up on your doorstep and delivers that, you're not going to take that well. So again, I'm living in reality, I don't know where he's living. If I were in his shoes, I wouldn't expect a hello or a handshake.”
Patrick Reed, speaking to the Mail's Chief Sports Feature Writer Riath Al-Samarrai, said he tossed one of his LIV Golf tees down as a "funny shot back" and said McIlroy acted "like an immature little child."
"Because of the relationship I've had with Rory - let's be honest, we've had some great battles at Augusta and other tournaments and our friendships been pretty good up until obviously joining LIV – I walked over there and wished Harry (Diamond, McIlroy’s caddie) Happy New Year and then Rory because it is the first time I have seen them," Reed said.
"Harry shook my hand and Rory just looked down there and was messing with his Trackman and kind of decided to ignore us. We all know where it came from, being part of LIV. Since my tees are Team Aces LIV tees I flicked him one. It was kind of a funny shot back. Funny how a small little flick has turned into basically me stabbing him and throwing a tee at him.
"He saw me and he decided not to not to react. But it is one of those things. If you're going to act like an immature little child then you might as well be treated like one."
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