Patrick Reed has claimed the ruling to allow the DP World Tour to sanction LIV Golf players was deliberately timed for the first day of the Masters.
Speaking to The Times, Reed disagreed with the Sports Resolutions ruling that meant fines of $100,000 will be administered to players who competed in conflicting events in the Saudi-financed league.
An arbitration hearing took place in front of a three-person panel in February, which found that DP World Tour CEO Keith Pelley “acted entirely reasonably in refusing releases”.
The Tour officially announced this a matter of hours before the first wave of players teed off at Augusta National, something Reed said he wasn’t expecting.
“I was surprised they chose to announce it on the first day of the Masters,” he said. “Disappointed isn’t the word – we strongly feel that the Sports Resolutions ruling is wrong.”
It was also found that the LIV rebels “committed serious breaches of the Code of Behaviour of the DP World Tour Regulations by playing in [LIV Golf events] despite their release requests having been refused”.
Reed, who won the Masters in 2018 and came tied for fourth this time around, described the timing of the announcement as “coincidental but planned” and hasn’t ruled out further legal action off the back of the decision.
The decision could see the likes of Reed, as well as European stalwarts Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood, relinquish their DP World Tour memberships to avoid future sanctions.
The American played two events on the formerly-named European Tour in January, memorably coming second to Rory McIlroy at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic.
As well as opposing the fines which players have 30 days to pay, Reed expressed his desire to continue to play in Europe while competing for 4 Aces GC in the LIV Golf League.
“I will always and have always planned to play as a proud member of the DP World Tour,” he said. “Currently, I would be in or around the top eight in the Race to Dubai rankings – if my name was included on this season’s published list.”
