Patrick Reed's $750m defamation lawsuit vs Chamblee and others is DISMISSED

Federal Judge dismisses Patrick Reed’s complaint against Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee and other golf media.

19 Nov 2022

Patrick Reed's $750m defamation lawsuit vs Chamblee and others is DISMISSED

Patrick Reed's $750 million defamation lawsuit against Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee and other golf media has been dismissed.

Reed, who joined LIV Golf earlier this year, originally sued Chamblee for defamation back in August before withdrawing the lawsuit and then refiling and adding further defendants in September such as Shane Bacon, Eamon Lynch and Damon Hack.

The lawsuit, which was filed by attorney Larry Klayman, was seeking in excess of $750 million in damages.

In the documents that were released by a reporter from Courthouse News Service, it is understood Reed, who won the 2018 Masters, claims Golf Channel analyst Chamblee has a history of calling him a "cheater".

The first lawsuit from August read:

"To compound matters, both before and in furtherance of the threats made and actions taken by the PGA Tour and its Commissioner Jay Monahan, to constructively terminate Mr Reed, Defendants Chamblee and NBC's Golf Channel have conspired as joint tortfeasors for and with the PGA Tour, its executives and its Commissioner Jay Monahan, to engage in a pattern and practice of defaming Mr. Reed, misreporting information with falsity and/or reckless disregard for the truth... purposely omitting pertinent key material facts to mislead the public, and actively targeting Mr. Reed since he was 23 years old to destroy his reputation, create hate and a hostile work environment for him..."

The refiled suit in August then claimed Golf Channel's employees have behaved in:

"A pattern and practice of defaming Mr. Reed, misreporting information with actual knowledge of falsity and/or reckless disregard of the truth, that is with actual and constitutional malice, purposely omitting pertinent key material facts to mislead the public, and actively targeting Mr. Reed since he was 23 years old, to destroy his reputation, create hate, and a hostile work environment for him, with the intention to discredit his name and accomplishments."

It also claimed that Golf Channel, the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour have conspired to halt LIV Golf's progress in professional golf.

Reed was seeking $750 million in "actual and compensatory damages."

But on Friday this week, the complaint was dismissed by US District Judge Timothy J Corrigan.

Corrigan stated the complaint "failed to give Defendants notice of the grounds upon which each claim rests because Reed alleges 120 factual allegations, then proceeds to incorporate all 120 allegations into each and every count.... Reed attempts to allege various defamation and civil conspiracy violations against each Defendant; causes of action which require vastly different factual allegations."

According to reports, Corrigan has allowed Reed to file an ammended complaint by December 16, 2022.

Corrigan writes: "In drafting the amended complaint, Reed is instructed to reevaluated his alleged claims and bring only those claims that are meritorious and supported by law."