U.S. Court of Appeals Upholds Dismissal of Patrick Reed’s $750M Defamation Lawsuit

Patrick Reed's $750 million defamation lawsuit against multiple golf media outlets, including Golfweek and Golf Channel commentators, has been definitively dismissed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Reed alleged that media criticism of his move from the PGA Tour to LIV Golf caused significant financial harm, including loss of sponsorships, but the court found he failed to prove actual malice or provide sufficient evidence. The judges noted that many contested statements were either opinions, related to LIV Golf generally rather than Reed specifically, or demonstrably true, rendering further amendments to the lawsuit futile. The dismissal follows prior rulings by U.S. District Judge Timothy Corrigan, who issued detailed rulings in 2022 and 2023 rejecting Reed's claims of conspiracy and defamation. Reed's legal attempts to revive the case, including appeals in 2023 and 2025, have been unsuccessful. Meanwhile, Reed continues to compete on the LIV Golf circuit, aiming to qualify for events like the Ryder Cup despite the challenges faced by LIV players in accumulating points.