Patrick Reed calls Rory McIlroy a ‘premature boy’ in his latest shot from the tee row

Another battle between Rory McIlroy and Patrick Reed began to take shape on Wednesday (Thursday NZ).

As one of the most vocal critics of League 15 Golf’s breakdown, McIlroy felt mentally exhausted during the final year and decided to take a few weeks off from the clubs.

“It was good,” said top-seeded McIlroy, “to try to take a little time off and try to distance myself from the game of golf.”

Now it’s back and it always looks like it’s on fire.

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McIlroy was on a mission Tuesday at the Dubai Desert Classic when he approached Reed, one of the most high-profile players to join the exit of the Saudi series that changed the face of golf in 2022.

He said he was busy practicing and didn’t realize the need to acknowledge Reed.

“Patrick came to say hello and I don’t really like him,” McIlroy said.

McIlroy, when asked about the American relations, threw the thesis towards him. The four-time major winner said he couldn’t see or feel anything.

“But it looks like it’s done,” McIlroy said. “And if the parts were reversed and I had thrown it at him, I would expect litigation.”

McIlroy said he was served a subpoena on Christmas Eve by Larry Klayman, the attorney who has filed lawsuits against the PGA Tour and the European Championships to suspend players who signed with LIV Golf. He has no reed in his suit.

Klayman also represents Reed in lawsuits filed against several media outlets.

“Obviously, I’m trying to have a good time with my family and someone shows up on your doorstep and delivers, you’re not going to accept that,” McIlroy said.

McIlroy is clearly in no mood for reconciliation in Dubai.

“Yes, I live in reality again, I don’t know where he lives. If I were wearing shoes, I wouldn’t expect a hello or a handshake.

Reed, in a statement provided by Klayman, wanted to clarify that he had nothing to do with McIlroy’s subpoena.

“Yes, McIlroy’s upset about serving on Christmas Eve has absolutely nothing to do with Patrick Reed,” he said. “So we don’t know what it is in McIlroy’s world, but we live in a world, and to try to blame Patrick Reed or to be confused with Patrick or to be subpoenaed because Patrick Reed is not a part is simply ignorant. “

Reed in Dubai said it was “unfortunate” that McIlroy didn’t shake his hand.

“But it’s one of them – if you start acting like an immature child, then you can also handle it like one,” Reed was quoted as saying by the British newspaper Daily Mail.

Reed said he “flicked” the tee at McIlroy because it had the logo of the 4 Aces, the team at LIV Golf, on it.

“It was kind of a funny shot back,” Reed said.

Reed and McIlroy had their singles match at the 2016 Hazeltine Ryder Cup, which Reed won. Also in the final round at the 2018 Masters, where Reed had a three-shot lead and went on to win. McIlroy has not won majors.

McIlroy was later asked if it would be helpful to “figure out your relationship” with another LIV rebel, Sergio Garcia, if he was to help Europe’s cause ahead of this year’s Ryder Cup.

“No,” was the curt reply of the Northern Irishman.

The toll taken on McIlroy by effectively speaking out against Liv didn’t stop him from returning to the world’s top ranking at the end of last year.

His last competitive tournament was the World Tour Championship, which was also held in Dubai in November.

McIlroy said the break would give him the opportunity to “recharge and reset and try to enter 2023 with renewed hope” and return to the Middle East with some serious business.

At last year’s Dubai Desert Classic, McIlroy was in the lead after 71 holes but bogeyed the par-5 No. 18 on Sunday after hitting his second shot into the water in front of the green. Viktor Hovland and Richard Bland shot behind, and Hovland wound up winning the game.

“There was absolutely no way to finish it,” McIlroy said. “But you know, I went from that week on and played really well and had a great year.”

McIlroy is a two-time winner of the event – ​​in 2009, his first title as a 19-year-old and in 2015 – and is enjoying his arrival in this part of the world.

I have been coming here for 17 years, he said. “I’ve got a level of comfort here. I like starting this year. I have a lot of friends. I’ve called this place home for four years.