An attorney working on behalf of Patrick Reed filed a lawsuit seeking damages from Brandel Chamblee and Golf Channel for defamation, court documents that came out Tuesday show.
According to the documents — which were released via a reporter for Courthouse News Service — Reed claims Chamblee has a history of calling him a cheater and has criticized Reed and other golfers for leaving the PGA Tour for the Greg Norman-led, Saudi-backed LIV Golf Series.
The court documents allege Chamblee, who works as an analyst with Golf Channel, “have conspired as joint tortfeasors for and with the PGA Tour, it’s (sic) executives and it’s Commissioner Jay Monahan, to engage in a pattern and practice of defaming Mr. Reed, misreporting information with falsity and/or reckless disregard for the truth … purposely omitting pertinent key material facts to mislead the public, and actively targeting Mr. Reed since he was 23 years old to destroy his reputation, create hate, and a hostile work environment for him … ”
Reed says that fans taking cues from Chamblee often heckle him during tournaments, yelling at him, “‘You cheater!’ ‘Cheat!’ ‘Everyone hates you cheater!’ ‘You’re going to miss this you cheater!'”https://t.co/wc4cIZCCWI
— Cameron Langford (@cam_langford) August 16, 2022
The document, which was filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas Houston Division, also states Chamblee and Golf Channel have set out to destroy LIV along with its golf professionals.
The suit is seeking in excess of $750 million in damages. In civil cases, plaintiffs have to prove whether a defendant is liable, not whether a defendant is guilty. According to the document, the suit was filed by Larry Klayman. The Florida-based attorney has been on the losing end of a number of defamation lawsuits, including one in which Arizona politician “Sheriff Joe” Arpaio sued several national media outlets, alleging they defamed him and impacted his attempt to win a U.S. Senate seat.
Meanwhile, last week a judge ruled against three LIV golfers from participating in the FedEx Cup Playoffs in the first of what’s to be many legal battles in the antitrust battle between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.
Reed has played in two LIV Golf events thus far, recording finishes of third in Pumpkin Ridge in Portland and fifth at Trump Bedminster in New Jersey. His team, 4 Aces, captained by Dustin Johnson, has won both events. Reed finished T-47 at the Open Championship at St. Andrews.
LIV Golf’s next tournament is Sept. 2-4 in Boston.