PGA Tour should consider handing Patrick Reed 'proper' punishment over rules breach, says Sir Nick Faldo
Sir Nick Faldo believes the PGA Tour should consider issuing Patrick Reed with a “proper" punishment for his recent rules breach as the controversial American was caught up in a new row with his caddie banned for an altercation with a spectactor.
Following his infraction at the Hero World Challenge - where he was seen improving his lie in a bunker with two practice swings - Reed had attracted the ire of the home crowd at the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne, where he has been playing for the US against the Internationals.
And the tensions in the Ryder Cup-style encounter boiled over into an ugly incident at the conclusion of Reed’s third defeat in succession.
Reed was being driven in a cart with Kessler Karain, when the bagman, who is also his brother-in-law, jumped off to confront a fan. Karain claimed the Australian shouted “you f------ suck” to Reed. Karain admitted to shoving the man and yelling “a few expletives”, but insisted he did not throw a punch.
Nevertheless, the PGA Tour decided Karain should not caddie for Reed in the singles against Taiwan’s CT Pan. The visitors went into the final session 10-8 down with Tiger Woods, the US playing-captain, fielding questions on why he selected Reed as a wildcard.
However, Faldo feels it is Reed who should face an inquisition - about the incident in the Bahamas. Reed acknowledged that he broke the rules, but has remained unrepentant in the 10 days since, maintaining a misleading camera angle was to blame for the outrage. The 2018 Masters champion escaped with a two-shot penalty.
“It looked so blatant that I think the PGA Tour really needs to look at it again and call in Reed and deal with it properly,” Faldo told Telegraph Sport. “Reid now has a reputation forever. When he’s walking down the range, it’ll all go quiet. ’There goes ‘Patrick Two Scoops’,’ his fellow pros will mutter. Reed will never shake it off.”
