WATCH: "Cheater!" - Patrick Reed Heckled In Hawaii

The 2018 Masters champion was heckled during a crucial moment at the Tournament of Champions

"Cheater!" - Patrick Reed Heckled In Hawaii
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The 2018 Masters champion was heckled during a crucial moment at the Tournament of Champions

WATCH: "Cheater!" - Patrick Reed Heckled In Hawaii

Patrick Reed finished T2nd at the Tournament of Champions, missing out in a playoff to Justin Thomas.

It was another good result for an in-form Reed but it was slightly marred after ugly scenes involving a fan shouting 'cheater' whilst a crucial putt was on its way to the hole.

The 2018 Masters champion faced a putt of around 8ft on the 3rd playoff hole for birdie, which would have continued the playoff had he holed it, and it was loud-and-clear what the fan said as the putt missed.

Reed looked to the stands with disgust, with the TV commentators commenting on the issue.

"That was pretty unfortunate," Golf Channel announcer Dan Hicks said whilst commentating live.

"You see Reed glaring up into the stands. Someone yelled as loud and as clear as day, 'Cheater!'"

"I didn't hear that," Hicks' co-commentator Paul Azinger said.

"I did. There was no doubt about it, Zing," Hicks replied.

The broadcast then replayed the putt with Azinger describing the scenes as "ugly."

Reed holed the following putt for par but it wasn't enough as Thomas, whose birdie putt was shorter than Reed's par attempt, duly holed for his 12th PGA Tour title.

Watch the full incident below via Sky Sports -

The call of 'cheater' comes after Reed's controversial penalty during the Hero World Challenge last month.

Related: What are Patrick Reed's new irons?

He was heckled in Melbourne during the Presidents Cup where he made a shovel gesture to the crowd before his caddie was banned from the final day's play for shoving a spectator.

Patrick Reed accepted his two stroke penalty at the Hero World Challenge but denied it was intentional, saying that the TV camera angle made it look like his club was closer to the ball.

He also denied he had cheated after being asked at Royal Melbourne prior to the Presidents Cup.

“It’s not the right word to use,” Reed said after being asked if he cheated.

“At the end of the day, if you do something unintentionally that breaks the rules, it’s not considered cheating, but I wasn’t intentionally trying to improve a lie or anything like that.

“If I was, it would have been a really good lie, and I would have hit it really close.”

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Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!

Elliott is currently playing:

Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV