Patrick Reed’s Lawsuit Against Brandel Chamblee and Other Media Members Dismissed Again By Federal Court
Patrick Reed’s $750 million defamation lawsuit against multiple members of the golf media has been dismissed by a federal judge.
“While Reed may be frustrated at the negative media coverage he receives (some of which seems over the top), under Florida law and the First Amendment, Reed fails to bring actionable defamation claims and his cases therefore must be dismissed,” said U.S. District Judge Timothy Corrigan in the newly released 78-page document.
Reed filed the lawsuit against Golf Channel’s Brandel Chamblee, Damon Hack, Eamon Lynch and Shane Bacon, as well as several media companies, including Golf Channel, Golfweek and Conde Nast.
Claiming that the defendants were “spreading lies” about him during the battle between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour, Reed first filed his case in August of 2022 in Texas. He then refiled in Florida, where it was dismissed by Judge Corrigan in Jacksonville, Fla.
And in the latest documents dated Sept. 27, Reed’s newly “amended complaints” were also dismissed by Corrigan.
Reeds defamation case against several journalists and golf publications was again dismissed by a Florida judge.
Kyle Terada/USA TODAY Sports
“His Amended Complaints reference over 50 different allegedly defamatory statements,” Corrigan said. “However, many of the statements are not about Reed. Some statements are about LIV Golf, of which Reed is a member, but not specifically about Reed.”
After Reed’s first two filings, the court instructed him to “bring claims only supported in law.” But according to the most recent statement from Corrigan, the former Masters champion “declined to heed these instructions.”
The developments in Reed’s case come just two days before the 2023 Ryder Cup begins. Reed has played in the event three times and holds a 7-3-2 record. He has not been a member of the U.S. team since 2018, and after joining LIV Golf last year he did not come close to qualifying for a spot on this year's team.