Patrick Reed Files $750m Lawsuit Against Brandel Chamblee And Golf Channel

Former Masters champion Patrick Reed has launched a $750m defamation lawsuit against the Golf Channel and analyst, Brandel Chamblee.

The civil suit was launched in the US district court for the southern district of Texas in Reed's home city of Houston. Within, the American alleges that he was the victim of "calculated, malicious, false and reckless attacks" that had a "direct effect on his livelihood", adding that PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan, the Golf Channel and Chamblee "conspired" together.

Reed's allegations include "misreporting information with falsity and/or reckless disregard of the truth" as well as "purposely omitting pertinent key material facts to mislead the public, and actively targeting [Reed] to destroy his reputation, create hate, and a hostile work environment for him." 

The Complaint adds: "It is well-known on Tour that Mr Reed has been abused and endured more than any other golfer from fans or spectators who have been allowed to scream obscenities only to be glorified by NBC’s Golf Channel for doing so."

Reed, a nine time winner on the PGA Tour, was one of many star names to defect to the Greg Norman-fronted LIV Golf Series, much to the criticism of Chamblee. Within the 30 page Complaint document, Reed describes the American pundit as "the Golf Channel’s primary mouthpiece" to push a "defamatory agenda and inflict severe damage to Mr Reed, LIV, and other golfers signed with LIV.”

The 32-year-old resigned his PGA Tour membership after he was suspended indefinitely following his decision to join the controversial circuit.

Reed's Complaint describes numerous statements made by Chamblee in regards to his alleged allegiance with a "tyrannical, murderous, sportswashing" leader in Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund controller and Saudi crown prince Mohammed Bin Salmon to be "false, malicious and defamatory."

The suit also takes a dig at Chamblee, describing him as a former Tour pro "who fell short of ever rising to the accomplished level of Mr Reed."

It is not the first time that Reed has used the legal system to settle a dispute against the Golf Channel analyst. In January 2020, the American submitted a cease-and-desist letter that demanded he not repeat accusations that he intentionally cheated at the Hero World Challenge after he was penalised for improving his lie in a bunker. Reed insisted he did not intend to do so.

Last week, Judge Beth Labson Freeman ruled that Talor Gooch, Matt Jones and Hudson Swafford felt "no irreparable harm" and were denied a temporary restraining order in their quest to take part in the FedEx Cup playoffs.

Hearings for the wider antitrust case are set to begin at the end of September before a summary judgement in March 2023. The full trial is expected to begin a few months later in August 2023 in what is sure to be the first of many landmark legal battles between LIV Golf, its players and the PGA Tour.