Irish American Patrick Reed, the leader at the final round in the Masters, is one of the most disliked players in golf.
In 2015 an ESPN players poll revealed he was the second most disliked by his fellow pros after Bubba Watson. The London Telegraph named him the most hated player.
Here are the reasons why:
1. He cheats, say his critics. As a college golf player, he played one year at SEC powerhouse Georgia but was dismissed for cheating his rivals say.
In his book about the PGA Tour, author Shane Ryan disclosed Reed deliberately played a ball that was not his lying in a far more advantageous position than his own.
His college mates tackled him and Reed was forced to leave Georgia and play at Augusta State. Ryan said there was a code of silence regarding Reed’s time at UGA, describing it as a type of “golf omerta.” Ryan brought up whispers that Reed had cheated on the course.
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2. He is incredibly brash. After winning just three tournaments, he announced he was one of the best in the world, annoying fans. “I have three wins on the PGA Tour,” he said in 2014 after winning a WGC event.
“I truly believe that I am a top-five player in the world.”
3. He compared himself to Tiger Woods at his height, despite never winning a major. “I don’t see a lot of guys that have done that (won three tournaments) besides Tiger Woods and the legends of the game. I believe in myself, especially with how hard I’ve worked. I’m one of the top five players in the world. I feel like I’ve proven myself.”
4. Stealing from friends. The Ryan book says that while in college, he stole $400 from teammates and a Scotty Cameron putter. Reed, heavily recruited during a qualifying round, dismissed but said he was ousted for multiple alcohol arrests.
But a Georgia assistant coach said Ryan’s report was accurate and that UGA chose not to associate with “Patrick as a person.”
5. He angrily used a gay slur to describe himself, after missing an easy shot at an overseas tournament. He later apologized.
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