Patrick Reed Responds To Rules Controversy

The Texan was involved in a controversy after taking a drop on the 10th hole during the third round of the Farmers Insurance Open

Patrick Reed Responds To Rules Controversy

Patrick Reed says he was told he was "textbook" and "perfect" by a rules official in taking a drop for an embedded ball during the third round of the Farmers Insurance Open.

Reed shot a 70 on Saturday to sit at 10 under and tied for the lead with 18 holes to play, however the biggest talking point was his drop.

The Texan hit his ball into the left rough on the 10th hole where he suspected his ball was embedded.

None of his group, or Reed, saw the ball bounce, nor did the volunteer closest to the ball, giving Reed reason to believe his ball could be embedded.

The 2018 Masters champion marked his ball, checked if it was embedded and called over a rules official to clarify.

The official confirmed that he felt a 'lip' and allowed Reed a free drop.

Reed's drop caused controversy on social media, although he and the PGA Tour rules officials maintain that it was done by the book.

Watch the incident below:

"I asked the guys I'm playing with 'Hey did you all see the ball bounce? Everyone said no' and then I asked the volunteer who was right there who marked it who's closest to the golf ball 'Did you see the ball bounce?' She said 'No it did not,'" Reed told the Golf Channel after his round.

"So at that point I told the guys 'Hey I'm gonna check to see if it's embedded,' which I marked the ball, lifted it and placed it over to the side and it looked like it did break the plain and therefore when it looked like it broke the plain what I did was I called over the rules official and the rules official came over, he put his finger down and said 'There's a lip here, it definitely broke the plain, therefore it's an embedded ball, you get a club length and take a drop.'

Watch: Reed explains the drop to the Golf Channel

Reed said in his post-round interview that a rules official said he was "textbook" in taking the drop.

"I just want to let you know, what you've done here in this whole procedure was textbook, was perfect," Reed said the official told him and his group post-round.

"So with doing the procedure correctly and doing exactly what you're supposed to do at the end of the day that's what we felt was the right thing," the American continued.