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Instagram golfer and LGPA Tour champion Paige Spiranac watched Patrick Reed’s cheating fiasco at the Farmer’s Insurance Open at Torrey Pines like the rest of us, but then she made a bold claim about it. She tweeted that Patrick Reed was entertaining and implied he’s good for golf.
She’s absolutely right, and I’ll explain why.
I will say Patrick Reed makes for some entertaining golf and I don’t hate that
— Paige Spiranac (@PaigeSpiranac) January 31, 2021
Golf Channel Analyst @chambleebrandel weighs in on Saturday’s Patrick Reed rules controversy. pic.twitter.com/O1wXjrEpFU
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) January 31, 2021
Before Tiger Woods threw fist pumps through the clouds, golf was boring. Players were expected to hit their tee shots, shake their opponents’ hands when they lost, and wear only certain kinds of clothing. Tiger broke that mold, and now players are far more likely to let their natural personalities shine on the course.
This matters because personality has improved the game of golf. Old heads claimed it would taint the integrity of the sport, but instead it turned everyone to their TVs. Patrick Reed’s personality is to be edgy and to take every inch possible to beat the competition. Last weekend, Reed blatantly moved a ball he claimed had embedded in a sand trap, though video evidence shows otherwise. Some fans will respect the hustle, while others will hate his guts and call him a blatant cheater.
As Paige Spiranac points out, it’s at least entertaining, and the Golf Channel’s 3:30 segment proves it. We love to discuss players who do things that are out of the ordinary, and Reed is always causing trouble. At first, we thought it was just coincidence, but eventually we ran out of excuses for the guy.
Remember, his cheating doesn’t actually work
Patrick Reed is ideal for the sport of golf because his cheating doesn’t impact the results in big tournaments. He may fluff his lie, but the officials always notice. And they always will since it’s their job to watch for such occasions. He’ll always be punished for trying to game the game.
Reed has also embraced the hatred sent his way. He gets to be himself and boost fan interest at the same time. He is exactly what golf needs.
If we’re being honest, we’ve got plenty of friends who cheat just like Reed does. He just doesn’t suck at golf like they do.
I had no idea Paige Spiranac could talk….I thought her only purpose was to provide Joe with IG content.
That said while cheating does make sports more entertaining…(thank you PEDs for the home run chase and Lance Armstrong)…it doesn’t make it very sincere.
Oy! Did he cheat? I did a search and it appears what he did was legit. Did he not ask a volunteer and a rules official to determine if his ball was imbedded? It was determined that it was and he moved the ball.
Correct! He used an obscure rule (a lot of those in golf) for his benefit. That’s not cheating it’s know all the rules of the game. Yes he also asked an official. But here we are days later still talking about it.
He didn’t break any rules but I think folks are pissed off because he picked the “embedded ball” up before summoning an official. So basically he told the official it was embedded. The other players feel he should have left the ball alone until the official had a chance to look at it and make the call.
I know as much about the game to make me ineffective on a miniature golf course, but I’ll ask, did he do anything to create a competitive advantage?
We need more CPG posts. Did he get the Wuhan or something??
Just because Reed is a multi-millionaire golfer, that does not reduce his status as a full-time dirtbag.
Not a Patrick Reed fan, but he actually did a better job handling the rules last weekend than Rory did. Same exact scenario, only Rory didn’t even bother with a rules official.
Easy fix: Lift, clean, and place in fairways only for PGA Tour events. Rough is supposed to be punishment. Balls plug in the sand all the time. If the rough is that concerning, tee off with a 3 wood or iron.
These are the absolute best golfers in the world. They should all live by the same motto:
“If you can’t keep it out of the rough, your day is going to be long and tough.”
Agreed except I am a Reed fan. Rory got a huge pass and Reed gets the heat but as you said I think he likes it.
The rule is: a player can ask his playing partner or a rules official if he or she thinks the ball is embedded before moving the ball. Rory M asked his playing partner during the match. Not sure what the big deal is here. The PGA rules official said what Patrick Reed did was ok and within the rules – no penalty assessed. That should be the end of it. But no, CBS and the Golf channel kept wringing their hands about it like it was the worst thing in the world of golf. Turn the page already!
I liked it when Eldrick wife put a 9 iron up side his melon for being a philandering POS now that’s great golf those were the days lol
The golf commentators, including Nantz, Faldo and Chamblee, couldn’t wait to stoke this fire and keep it going. When CBS’s own rules guy said he did nothing wrong, that’s where it should have stopped. The guy played great and won fair and square, Talking Heads Not Withstanding.
Brandel Chamblee is a douchebag.
I think golf would be more interesting and would draw more viewers if players did show more emotion on the course. I’m not suggesting that the players go all out Happy Gilmore mode…..but hey, showing more emotion I think would be good for the sport.
Jerks like Chamblee who have an elitist attitude are the reason the casual fan doesn’t care about golf except when Tiger is playing.