LIV Golf rebel Patrick Reed was landed with a major bill as a Jacksonville federal judge dismissed his lawsuit for a second time, while ordering to pay legal fees and costs
Golfer Patrick Reed was ordered to reimburse news organizations for their legal costs after a federal judge in Jacksonville dismissed his second lawsuit alleging defamation against them.
The 2018 Masters champion sued several media personalities, including Emon Lynch, Doug Ferguson, and Brandel Chamblee, for $750 million back in 2022. The 33-year-old stated that they had “conspired” to discredit him with Jay Monahan, the commissioner of the PGA Tour, since he was “23 years old” and after he switched to LIV Golf.
The defendants were accused by Reed and lawyer Larry Klayman of “conspiracy, defamation, injurious falsehood, and tortious interference” with their reporting. But in September, shortly before the Ryder Cup of 2023, U.S. District Judge Timothy Corrigan dismissed the lawsuit.
The case has now taken a historic turn when the former Major winner was mandated to reimburse all defendants’ legal costs. On January 5, 2023, Judge Corrigan issued the order, reversing his earlier dismissal on the grounds that Reed had filed the lawsuits in an effort to retaliate against free speech, which was against the First Amendment.
Corrigan, who dismissed the case in September, acknowledged that some of the reporting had been “over the top,” but he rejected the idea that this constituted defamation. “While Reed may be irritated by the unfavorable (and sometimes excessive) media attention he receives, his cases must be dismissed in accordance with Florida law and the First Amendment since he has not brought actionable defamation claims.”
Furthermore, according to the Order issued on January 5, 2024, Florida’s anti-SLAAP (Strategic lawsuit against public participation) laws were broken by the LIV Golf rebel. This effectively forbids any legal action taken against anyone who is using their right to free speech in connection with a public matter.
In response to the news, Reed’s lawyer Klayman stated: “The goal of the PGA Tour and its ‘partner,’ the NBC Golf Channel, is to destroy a top player on the LIV Golf Tour, his family, and all of the LIV players in order to further their agenda and purportedly coordinated efforts to destroy the new LIV Golf Tour.
“As claimed in the Complaint, these planned, malicious attacks have harmed Mr. Reed and his family, inflicted significant financial and emotional harm, and fostered a hostile work environment.
“Mr. Reed is certain that justice will be served and that all of Judge Corrigan’s biased and illegal decisions will be overturned on appeal,” he said.
“It is time to hold the PGA Tour-dependent and shady fake news golf media accountable for their ruthless and malicious attempts to discredit Mr. Reed in an effort to undermine LIV Golf in the name of clicks and profit. Pay attention. This is not the end of the fight!”
