Patrick Reed is demanding claims that he cheated in collegiate qualifying tournaments and stole from teammates be retracted from a forthcoming book by author Shane Ryan. Reed claimed he had obtained sworn statements from both of his collegiate golf coaches, Chris Haack from the University of Georgia and Josh Gregory at Augusta State University, that cleared him of those allegations.
The world No. 16 obtained a statement from University of Georgia coach Chris Haack, which was obtained by Wei Under Par through a Georgia Open Records Act request. The statement reads in part: "While Patrick Reed was at UGA, I was not aware of any allegations of cheating or theft against him, and therefore, allegations of cheating or theft played no role in his dismissal from the UGA golf team."
Unfortunately for Reed, Haack's statement offers nothing that contradicts an excerpt from Ryan's forthcoming book, “Slaying the Tiger: A year inside the ropes on the new PGA Tour," published in January. In that passage, anonymous sources claim Reed stole $400 and a Scotty Cameron putter from a Georgia teammate. Other sources claimed Reed was caught cheating in tournaments at both schools. However, Ryan did not claim Reed was dismissed for allegations of cheating or stealing, but rather for two alcohol citations, including one Reed and his family tried to hide from Haack.
Speaking to Wei Under Par, Haack said he was not aware of the allegations of cheating and theft against Reed until he was ousted from the program.
One of Haack's former assitants, Jason Payne, provided his own statement to Wei Under Par, saying the cheating and stealing allegations were known to players and some coaches on the UGA staff while Reed was still part of the team.
"The story that has been reported by Shane Ryan is an accurate account of his college career at UGA —including the suspicions held by his former teammates," Payne's statement said in part.
Ryan continues to stand behind his work and reporting as Reed continues to push for a retraction.
