Report: Patrick Reed Refiles Defamation Suit Against Golf Channel, Brandel Chamblee

Patrick Reed has refiled his lawsuit against the Golf Channel and broadcaster Brandel Chamblee.

Brendan Quinn and Daniel Kaplan of The Athletic reported on Wednesday that "attorney Larry Klayman refiled Reed’s suit in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida in Jacksonville, Fla., and added new defendants to the claim. Golf Channel employees Damon Hack, Shane Bacon and Eamon Lynch, along with parent companies Golfweek and Gannett, are named in the new filing."

Reed said in the lawsuit that Chamblee and the Golf Channel "conspired" with the PGA Tour and PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan to "engage in a pattern and practice of defaming Mr. Reed" in an effort to "destroy (Reed's) reputation, create hate, and a hostile work environment for him, and with the intention to discredit his name and accomplishments."

The 32-year-old sought $750 million in actual and compensatory damages with the suit, alleging that actions by the network and broadcaster cost him numerous multimillion-dollar sponsorship opportunities.

In August, Reuters (h/t ESPN) noted Reed's lawyer sent Chamblee a cease-and-desist letter in an effort to get the broadcaster to stop saying the golfer cheated during a tournament even though he was penalized two strokes at the 2019 Hero World Challenge for improving his lie in a bunker.

Reed, who said he did not intentionally improve his lie, alleged fans have heckled him and accused him of being a cheater at tournaments because of Chamblee's commentary.

There was a time when Reed was one of the most promising young players on the PGA Tour. He has nine career PGA Tour titles, with the most famous one coming at the 2018 Masters. Reed won the green jacket by finishing one stroke ahead of Rickie Fowler and two strokes ahead of Jordan Spieth.

His last victory came in January 2021 at the Farmers Insurance Open.

However, Reed left the PGA Tour this year to join the competing LIV Golf series.

Reed's team, the 4 Aces, was victorious in the four LIV events he participated in, although he is yet to finish better than third place on an individual level.