LIV Golf rebel Patrick Reed has described the treatment he has received from the DP World Tour since making the Saudi switch as a 'slap in the face'.
Reed made the move to LIV earlier this summer, and has competed in four of the series' five events, winning £5.4million in the process. Reed - alongside the rest of his fellow defectors - has received plenty of criticism, especially when he and 17 other LIV golfers made a contentious return to the DP World Tour this month to compete at the BMW PGA Championship.
After returning to the Saudi-backed series last week, the American is back in DP World Tour action this week at the French Open. Despite still pledging his support to the Wentworth-based circuit amid his new LIV commitments, Reed has been left less than impressed with the way he has been shunned by the tour.
Speaking to French outlet Journal Du Golf , he said: "It’s a slap in the face not to invite me to the press conference, or not to have me play the pro-am and all those things. At the end of the day, it’s just my golf that I have control over.
"I’m here to support the Tour, France and all the people who are here. But I don’t see why we can’t move from the LIV to the European Tour like we usually move from the PGA Tour to the European Tour.
"A lot of players understand and support my choice and have nothing against me. I didn’t feel any animosity against me from them.” Despite an impressive week on his DP World Tour return at Wentworth with a tied fifth finish, he has been off this pace this time around in France.
The American star endured a dismal end to his round one outing, double bogeying the 15th before carding three straight bogeys on the 16th, 17th and 18th. As well as his appearances at Wentworth and in France, Reed has also committed to competing in another DP World Tour event at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews at the end of the month.
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The entry has left many within the world of golf shocked, after Reed initially announced his decision to join LIV Golf was to 'compete at the highest level' whilst being able to 'spend more time' with his children. Entry into the St Andrews event means the 32-year-old will have played five events on the bounce in September across both LIV Golf and the DP World Tour.
Despite claims of hypocrisy, Reed hit back during an interview with The Times . Discussing his schedule, he said: "I’ve played on two tours my whole life, my whole career. I've played on the PGA Tour and European Tour [DP World Tour]at the same time.
"I don't see any difference between me playing the PGA Tour and here and playing on LIV and here. LIV only have 14 events next year, which means I'll be over here more. Guys are like, oh, you joined LIV to play a lesser schedule. Well, I'm a guy that's played 31 to 34 events a year."
