Wednesday was a difficult time for golf fans who learned of a horrifying act of violence between two of the best players in the world on a driving range.
It was reported that Patrick Reed threw not a punch, but a tee(!) at Rory McIlroy. Oh, the humanity. Fortunately, McIlroy sustained no injuries from this senseless assault, but it was still traumatic for everyone involved.
Now video of the incident has emerged, and, well, the interaction just may have been a tad bit overblown. Check out the PG-rated clip for yourself:
https://twitter.com/GolfTipsChecker/status/1618226203412004865?s=20&t=n55JX9wZq8IRjfaq4i_Q5Q
Yeah . . . not much there. As you can see, Reed shakes hands with McIlroy’s caddie, Harry Diamond, but seems to have trouble getting Rory’s attention. He then walks away and underhands a tee back at the World No.1. Not exactly graphic content.
But in a way, this actually makes it better. In what other sport could such a lame act be treated as such an affront? He flicked a little sliver of wood at a guy who wasn’t even paying attention! It’s very reminiscent of the Brooks Koepka eyeroll at Bryson DeChambeau. You gotta love golf.
And it turns out the backstory is pretty juicy. As our John Huggan wrote, there is real animosity between the two players, not only because of the PGA Tour-LIV divide, but because Reed subpoenaed Rory. On Christmas Eve!
“I was trying to have a nice time with my family,” McIlroy told reporters ahead of this week’s Dubai Desert Classic.
“If someone shows up on your doorstep and delivers that, you’re not going to take that well. I’m living in reality. I don’t know where he [Reed] is living. If I were in his shoes, I wouldn’t expect a hello or a handshake. I don’t see how you can pretend like nothing’s happening.”
So don’t expect the Reeds and McIlroys to be holidaying together in the near future. But as for “Tee-gate”?
“I can’t believe it’s actually turned into a story. It’s nothing,” McIlroy said. “I was down by my bag, and he came up to me. I was busy working and sort of doing my practice. I didn’t really feel like . . . I didn’t feel the need to acknowledge him. And if roles were reversed and I’d thrown that tee at him, I’d be expecting a lawsuit.”
Boom. Roasted. Anyway, a hearty thanks to the brave soul that captured this on camera. It might be even better than the video of Bryson getting clotheslined by that gallery rope last year. Just kidding, that’s still the best.
