Patrick Reed has filed a defamation lawsuit against the Golf Channel and commentator Brandel Chamblee claiming more than $750million, around £620m, in damages.
The former US Open and Masters champion filed the lawsuit in a Texas federal court stating that Golf Channel and Chamblee worked “in concert with the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour ” to “maliciously cause a hostile workplace environment for Mr. Reed.”
Lawyers for Reed, who is ranked 49th in the world rankings, claim the LIV Golf member has had his performances harmed by personal attacks from Chamblee causing him emotional distress.
Reed’s attorney Larry Klayman wrote in the civil complaint: "Defendants, acting in concert with the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour and their commissioners, have maliciously caused a hostile workplace environment for Mr. Reed, spilling over to his family.
"This hostile workplace, which has been made to occur in the tournaments and events which Mr. Reed attends and participates in to earn a living for himself and his family, has been manifested, only in part, by induced personal attacks on him and his family by persons attending these tournaments and events.
"These induced personal attacks have in turn harmed his performance at tournaments and events, despite his excellent record, which record would be even much greater without the disruption and emotional distress caused by these personal attacks."
Reed and his lawyer have also taken issue with comments made by Chamblee that the American had joined the LIV Golf series for 'blood money'. Answering critics of the Saudi-backed series Reed recently said that players had joined for competitive reasons
“Falsely stating that someone is playing for blood money is patently and plainly defamatory because it creates the false implication that Mr. Reed is supporting acts of terrorism and/or human rights violations,” the lawsuit states. Mr. Reed has never accepted ‘blood money,’ and in no way supports terrorism and/or human rights violations, or murder.”
Reed joined the LIV Golf series in June joining the likes of Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Ian Poulter and Sergio Garcia playing in the controversial eight-event series.
