French golfer Mike Lorenzo-Vera has joined the chorus of critics suggesting Patrick Reed 's dropped ball at the Dubai Desert Classic on Sunday should never have stood.
LIV defector Reed was permitted a drop during the tournament's third round after claiming he could identify his ball, which had become lodged in one of the palm trees dotted along the fairway. He went on to enjoy a late surge at the Emirates Golf Course but ultimately finished as runner-up to Rory McIlroy by a single stroke.
Reed, 32, consulted with officials using binoculars before he was allowed to take a drop near the tree in question, rather than have to return 275 yards back to the tee. However, footage later appeared to show his ball had disappeared into a tree closer to the tee.
"I just don’t understand how players stays (sic) silent after being robbed one spot by someone that cheated," wrote Lorenzo-Vera on Twitter. "Fantastic golf player. But Reed f****n cheated!!!! How can you identify 100 per cent something very specific on your ball that is not in the tree??? How is the guy not [disqualified]????"
Reed already made headlines last week after it emerged he had flicked a tee at McIlroy after the Northern Irishman didn't return his hello at the driving range. McIlroy had been served a subpoena by the American’s lawyers on Christmas Eve, and the PGA Tour protagonist later said he didn't feel the "need to acknowledge" Reed.
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Those recent events made McIlroy's narrow win in Dubai that much 'sweeter' as he opened his DP World Tour account for 2023. However, there appeared to be some evidence supporting Lorenzo-Vera's stance that the former world No. 6 should have been kicked from the competition.
The Golf Channel's Brandel Chamblee relayed slow-motion footage that broke down the flight of Reed's ball on Sunday's 17th hole. And it appeared his drive was far from the tree he claimed it got stuck in, with replays suggesting any drop should have been at least 20 or so yards back.
"I got lucky that we were able to look through the binoculars and you have to make sure it's your ball and how I mark my golf balls is I always put an arrow on the end of my line," Reed replied in response to backlash over the incident.
"You could definitely see and identify the line with the arrow on the end, and the rules official was there to reconfirm and check it to make sure it was mine as well."
Lorenzo-Vera—who finished joint-16th at PGA Championship in 2019—isn't alone in his criticism of Reed, who was a divisive figure long before he left to join LIV. Nonetheless, McIlroy's last laugh in Dubai may be considered a karmic outcome if Reed incorrectly identified his ball, falling just short of the winner's £1.2million payday.
