‘It should be remembered as a victory:’ Patrick Reed says controversial drop shouldn’t overshadow Farmers Insurance Open win

SAN DIEGO, Cali. – Patrick Reed knew the question was coming.

He knew he’d have to address his controversial drop from an embedded lie in the third round of last year’s Farmers Insurance Open, especially given his checkered past that included his complaints about not playing with Jordan Spieth in the 2018 Ryder Cup and his incident in a bunker in the 2019 Hero World Challenge when he improved his lie before hitting his shot, a two-stroke penalty later assessed.

So, back to the South Course in the third round last year. Reed had taken his golf ball out of the embedded lie in the rough left of the fairway on the 10^th hole before calling for an official to get relief. Video of the incident was not kind, and social media lit up and afterward, Xander Schauffele said of the matter, “The talk amongst the boys isn’t great, I guess.”