LIV Golf player Patrick Reed has filed an amended complaint against Brandel Chamblee, Golf Channel and other members of the golf media - this time wanting an extra $70m in damages.
Reed's attorney Larry Klayman confirmed they had amended their lawsuit on Friday.
The initial lawsuit was filed in August against prominent LIV Golf critic and former PGA Tour player Chamblee, Golf Channel, Eamon Lynch, Golfweek, Gannett and others seeking $750m.
Now, the figure is $820m.
On 19 November, federal judge Timothy Corrigan dismissed the initial complaint, ruling:
"Reed attempts to allege various defamation and civil conspiracy violations against each defendant; causes of action which require vastly different factual allegations.
"The court is dismissing Reed's complaint without prejudice. In his amended complaint, Reed is instructed to incorporate into each count only the factual allegations that are relevant to the respective causes of action."
This lawsuit is separate from the $250m complaint Reed lodged in November against Shane Ryan, Hachette, the New York Post, Fox Sports, Doug Ferguson and the Associated Press.
Reed is arguing that he has been on the receiving end of false and malicious attacks through "fake news" since making his PGA Tour debut.
Related: PGA Tour accused of trying to hide their work with PR firm
In the 101-page amended complaint, it is argued Reed has suffered "major damages through the loss of multi-million dollar sponsorship deals that were not or have not been renewed, including, but not limited to Titleist, Nike, Ultimate Software, cbdMD, Callaway, Tax Slayer, Perry Ellis, NetJets."
One extract of the amended complaint reads:
"Mr Reed has become, not by choice, but due to media-driven narrative, a "lightning rod" and therefore a frequent target of the defendants and others in the media in order to defame, disparage and harm LIV's and other golfers and LIV as a whole."
Another reads:
"It is clear that defendants are not interested in the Saudi PIF, Mohammed bin Salman, or any human rights atrocities.
"They are basely attempting to associate Mr. Reed and LIV with human rights atrocities in order to destroy their goodwill and reputations and harm them financially in order to eliminate LIV as a competitor to the PGA Tour and DP World Tour.
"This is about money and power. [The] defendants could care less about actually shining a light on human rights atrocities."
In a statement, Klayman said:
"Contrary to the false reporting of the defendant Gannett, which lied that the lawsuit had been dismissed in its entirety, chief judge Timothy Corrigan's prior order simply required Mr. Reed to rework his initial complaint, mostly over form, and then to file this amended complaint.
"Not learning its lesson, defendant Gannett sought to defame Mr. Reed again by mispresenting judge Corrigan's order. This was widely republished by other golf media reporters in bed with the PGA Tour."
He added:
"This amended complaint speaks for itself and sets forth an anticompetitive scheme by the PGA Tour, its commissioner Jay Monahan and their agents to defame and destroy LIV and its players, fearing competitions which challenges the PGA Tour's monopoly."
Next page: LIV Golf League 2023
