Reed Utters Gay Slur that May Lead to Fine


Even though he uttered it to himself, Patrick Reed said a gay slur that may get him into hot water with the PGA Tour.

During the first round of the WGC-HSBC Champions now underway in China, the 24-year-old Texan said aloud during Golf Channel's live broadcast after three-putting, "Don't f***ing three-putt you f***ing f*ggot."

It got the attention of the PGA Tour, which released a statement Thursday morning aimed at Reed that read: "The PGA Tour Conduct Unbecoming regulations prohibit the use of obscene language on the golf course. The PGA Tour will deal with this matter internally in accordance with its regulations."

As per the tour's policy, the statement didn't indicate whether Reed would be fined or receive any disciplinary action.

The incident happened on Reed's very first hole; he started play on the 10th tee. Reed ended up carding a 1-under 71 and heads into the second round trailing leader Graeme McDowell by four strokes.

The fiery Reed is no stranger to controversy with his behavior. After he won the WGC-Cadillac Championship at Doral earlier this year for his third career victory, he declared himself one of the "top-five players in the world," which got pundits' heads shaking.

Then at the Ryder Cup in late September he gestured "sshhh" to the crowd after making a birdie putt in his singles match against Henrik Stenson. Reed went on to beat the Swede 1-up, but the Americans fell to the Europeans 16½ to 11½ for their third loss in a row.

Reed, a Ryder Cup rookie who did play well in scoring 3½ points for the Yanks, later told reporters he made the gesture in response to taunting by a European fan at Gleneagles in Scotland.

The PGA Tour may come under pressure to undo its policy of not commenting publicly on any disciplinary action taken against players. It was only last month that PGA of American president Ted Bishop was swiftly removed from office after he called Ian Poulter on social media a "Lil Girl" for his comments about Nick Faldo in Poulter's newly released autobiography.

The PGA Tour has also come under scrutiny for its secretiveness in the Dustin Johnson situation (he's been on a "self-imposed" six-month leave for "personal" reasons) and in other instances of suspected PED and drug use among players.