The ongoing drama between Rory McIlroy and Patrick Reed has started to become a joke among other golfers.
From Max Homa to Collin Morikawa to Steve Wheatcroft, players have chimed in with their thoughts on the saga, firing off tweets with jabs at the headlines tee-gate has generated.
“Had a nice time on the course today,” Homa, a five-time PGA Tour winner playing at the Farmers Insurance Open in California this week, wrote Wednesday on Twitter. “5 birdies, 1 bogey, no subpoenas. Very successful start to the week!”
In response to Homa’s tweet, two-time major champ and world No. 8 Collin Morikawa replied that he was “so close to throwing a tee” at Homa but that he’s too nice. Homa then continued the thread with a reply that thanked Morikawa for sparing him.
Even Wheatcroft, a 44-year-old journeyman, got in on the action and was much more blunt about it.
“Am I missing something with this Patrick Reed @McIlroyRory drama?” he tweeted. “If a dude subpoenaed me on Xmas Eve when I’m trying to be with my kids, he’s dead to me.
“Not trying to shake your hand. You’ve left the tour and are suing everyone. Take your money and get the F out.”
Everything started Monday on the driving range at the Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour, where Reed approached McIlroy only to be ignored by the Northern Irishman. That prompted Reed to toss a tee in McIlroy’s direction after shaking hands with McIlroy’s caddie, Harry Diamond.
Reed, a former Masters champ and nine-time winner on tour who ditched the PGA Tour for controversial LIV Golf last year, claimed that McIlroy had buried his head into his Trackman device and “kind of decided to ignore us,” he told reporters.
McIlroy, who said in a press conference that he didn’t see Reed toss the tee toward him, also revealed that he received a subpoena from Reed’s legal team on Christmas Eve to appear in court in relation to Reed’s lawsuit against Golf Channel and analyst Brandel Chamblee.
“Trying to have a nice time with my family and someone shows up on your doorstep and delivers that, you’re not going to take that well,” McIlroy said. “I’m living in reality, I don’t know where he’s living. If I were in his shoes, I wouldn’t expect a hello or a handshake.”
As the first round began Thursday, though, Reed so far has outplayed McIlroy in Dubai, though. Reed is 4-under par through 16 and one off the lead, while McIlroy is 2-under through 15 holes.
The Dubai Desert Classic continues the next three days at Emirates Golf Club.
