Latest news with #PatrickReed
Hamilton Spectator
6 days ago
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Big wins for Squamish-raised VFRS mechanic at the World Police and Fire Games
At age 50, Vancouver fire department mechanic Patrick Reed isn't slowing down—in fact, he's speeding up. Fresh off his second appearance at the World Police and Fire Games, he returned home with an impressive haul of 10 medals. Shooting for the stars at 50 years old. Patrick Reed intends to do so well into his 80s, and quite literally so. Reed returned home this month from the World Police and Fire Games, his second time competing in the Olympic-style sports competition for first responders and retirees, which were held June 27 to July 6. The competition is hosted every other year all around the world. He collected 10 medals—three gold, four silver, and three bronze—in sport shotgun shooting, among fellow competitors who he said had an average age of 50, including some 'well into their 80s.' Vancouver Fire Rescue Services (VFRS) lead mechanic, who is an avid sports shooter in his free time, competed in a range of trap, skeet, and sporting clay shooting contests over 10 days in Birmingham, Alabama—the host city of the 2025 event. 'I'll continue to shoot until I can't,' Reed said. Reed, who has worked with Vancouver's Fire Department as a mechanic since he was 34, explained he began taking part in the department's fundraiser, the ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) 'Shoot for a cure,' which happens every spring in Richmond 'I started going down to that shoot 17 years ago, and I started to gain a passion for sport shootings. So yeah, that's how it all started. It was kind of through my work,' he said. The Vancouver Firefighter Charities' website reads that the fundraiser is 'a sporting clay shooting challenge with 100% of the proceeds being donated to the ALS Society of B.C. … with the hope that a cure for ALS will one day be found.' A couple of years ago, Reed discovered that the World Police and Fire Games' teams practised sports shooting, so he signed up and headed to compete in the games, which were hosted in Winnipeg in 2023. He also spent 10 days there, coming away with four silver medals. He said that he started shooting competitively around B.C. about six months before his time in Winnipeg. Although largely self-taught, he said he has recently taken formal shooting lessons up in Kamloops, 'which really seemed to help,' in his preparation for this year's games in Alabama. Reed travelled to Montgomery for three days, and Talladega for two, as there were no on-site shooting facilities on the central games site in Birmingham. Accompanying him, and shooting beside him as his teammates, were four agents from the Canadian Border Services Agency, two from Vancouver, and two from Christina Lake. 'All five of us shot [well]; everybody kind of lifts the shooting scores when everyone is doing good,' Reed said. In Montgomery, Reed and his team competed in trap shooting, firing a total of 300 shots in 3 rounds; 100 at 106 metres (116 yards), 100 at 112 metres (122 yards), and 100 doubles at 15 metres (16 yards), in which two 'birds' appear as targets simultaneously. In Talladega, Reed competed in skeet shooting, firing 100 single shots in one round, then 100 doubles in the other. His final day in Talladega was spent firing 100 shots of sporting clay. Reed said he spent some time that week with two hockey teams from Vancouver, and a weight lifter, also from Squamish, and working with the Vancouver Fire Department. Reed cites outdoor recreation enthusiast and past Squamish resident Dale Rockwell among his big influences. '[Rockwell has been] super helpful over the years with little tips and tricks,' he said. Reed said he continues to partake in shooting at The Squamish Valley Rod and Gun Club (SVRGC), and also thanked Dave Banbury (a close friend of the late SVRGC member Art Brendle) for making his shooting experiences so enjoyable. 'Your passion and camaraderie have made all the difference, and without you, none of this would be possible,' he said. Reed elaborated on his fondness for his like-minded communities. 'Within the fire service, there are a lot of fishermen and hunters and so on. And that's why the ALS fundraiser shoot [has] such a huge following. There was an amazing team from Florida that I met [at the games]; they're old, retired firefighters who like to talk about hunting and fishing, and they're great people. It's the same with the people that I shoot with in Squamish. Everybody is very kind and welcoming … shooting [is] not just a hobby, but something I genuinely look forward to every weekend.' Reed gave further honourable mentions and thanks to firefighter Adam Bordignon, 'who goes above and beyond organizing everything,' and Alta Lake Electric for providing him with 'proper' shooting glasses, which have 'made a world of difference.' Reed is mindful that shooting can be a contentious activity, but encourages safety and the strength of community foremost. 'I know it's a touchy subject and there's a lot of negativity around it, but if people were to go [to a local gun club] and see how much fun there is to be had, people's opinions would change. I shoot for fun, but I also like the addictiveness of it,' he said. 'It'd be nice to get more youth involved, to learn about gun safety, and experience time with great people. I've learned a lot.' Reed confirmed that he and his team from this year's games will be competing in the next World Police and Fire Games in Perth, in March 2027. Ina Pace is The Squamish Chief's Local Journalism Initiative (LJI) reporter. This reporting was produced through the LJI, which supports original civic journalism across Canada. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
LIV's Patrick Reed Loses Appeal in $750M Golf Channel Defamation Suit
A Florida trial judge's dismissal of LIV golfer Patrick Reed's two federal lawsuits against the Golf Channel, commentator Brandel Chamblee and others has been affirmed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Reed initially sued because he says he was defamed by the commentator who said Reed was 'purely playing for blood money' by joining LIV Golf. Reed, the 2018 Masters Champion, joined LIV in 2022 and faced widespread criticism for switching allegiances from the PGA Tour to the nascent league backed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. The PGA Tour suspended Reed and other LIV-joining golfers for violating membership obligations. Those suspensions led to a high-profile antitrust litigation essentially pitting the PGA Tour against LIV. The antitrust case was resolved via settlement in 2023. More from Jordan's 23XI, Front Row Petition Rejected by Fourth Circuit Wisconsin CB Thinks House Helps His Eligibility Case. NCAA Disagrees Penn State Wins Permanent Injunction Against Vintage Brand In one of his complaints, the 34-year-old Texan argued that rebukes expressed about his decision to join LIV crossed the line into defamation and caused him to lose 'multiple multi-million-dollar sponsorship deals.' The complaint referenced numerous endorsement deals that were not renewed, as well as promising endorsement opportunities that were halted after he faced scorn. Among the companies listed were Titleist, Nike, Ultimate Software, cbdMD, Callaway, Tax Slayer, Perry Ellis, NetJets, Quicken Loans, Draft Kings, and Travelers. Reed alleged the damages he suffered exceeded $750 million, a figure inclusive of alleged harm to Reed's goodwill and reputation in addition to lost business and sponsorship deals. In the lawsuit, Reed referenced several bombastic remarks made about him joining LIV as evidence of defamation. For instance, during a podcast, Chamblee was quoted as saying, 'So if [Reed and other LIV golfers are] aligning themselves with a tyrannical, murderous leader… if you look at who [Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman] is… centralizing power, committing all these atrocities, you look at what he's doing to the citizens of his… of his country ask yourself, I mean would you have played for Stalin would you have played for Hitler would you have played for Mao would you play for Pol Pot . . . would you have played for Putin… which… and this who this guy is. He settles disputes with bone saws.' Comments by golf journalist Eamon Lynch, another defendant, were also cited. In a Golfweek column, Lynch referenced LIV in the context of 'the evil empire's … Death Star.' The column also opined that some of golf's stars 'opted to cut and run for Saudi money' while others stayed with the PGA Tour. The Eleventh Circuit's three-judge panel—consisting of Judges Robert J. Luck, Barbara Lagoa and Nancy G. Abudu—reasoned that Reed's case suffers a major flaw: He 'failed to plead any Defendant acted with actual malice in making any of the statements.' Plaintiffs in defamation lawsuits must establish the statement in question was false, attempted to assert a fact (not opinion), was delivered to others and caused harm. Public figures, like Reed, have the additional hurdle of proving actual malice, meaning the defendant made the untrue and reputationally harming statement while knowing it was false or with reckless disregard as to whether it was false. Reed, the panel reasoned, merely offered a 'litany of conclusory allegations' that recited the actual malice element in a formulaic and non-explanatory way. In other words, a complaint that accuses the defendant of acting with actual malice but doesn't explain how the defendant acted with actual malice is insufficient. Reed claimed the defendants showed hostility and animosity towards him, but the panel noted that ill-will or even 'evil intent' does not count as actual malice in a defamation case. Reed also argued the defendants failed to fully investigate their statements by, as the panel put it, 'intentionally choosing not to speak with any witnesses who could have refuted the allegedly defamatory statements.' However, a failure to investigate does not, by itself, establish actual malice. 'Instead,' the panel wrote, 'a plaintiff must show the defendant deliberately avoided investigating the veracity of the statement in order to evade learning the truth … Reed's amended complaints fail to allege such facts.' As for Golfweek and other publications republishing critical comments about Reed, the panel stressed that 'Reed never alleged a key component of actual malice, which is the Defendants had serious concerns about the accuracy of the published statements or were highly cognizant that the statements were likely false.' The panel stressed that media and publishers can lawfully rely on other published reports when they are based on 'reputable sources.' Reed can petition the Eleventh Circuit for a rehearing en banc, where, if granted, other judges on the Eleventh Circuit would hear the case. Such petitions are rarely granted, however. If a rehearing en banc fails for Reed, he could petition the U.S. Supreme Court. Best of College Athletes as Employees: Answering 25 Key Questions
Irish Daily Mirror
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
LIV star denies theory that Open preparation is a shambles ahead of Portrush
A fired-up Patrick Reed insists that LIV Golf stars' Open Championship preparations are not being hindered by their presence in Spain. The American is one of 19 players from the Saudi-backed series taking part in the event at Valderrama as part of their build-up. While many of the sport's top names are at the Genesis Scottish Open, fine-tuning their game on links turf ahead of Royal Portrush, the LIV contingent are preparing on very different ground in Spain. READ MORERory McIlroy fires warning as PGA Tour star opens up after granting Erica Stoll her wish It's a widely-held view that will leave them at a major disadvantage going into the big one in Northern Ireland, but Reed is having none of that chat. The Ryder Cup star, who won the last LIV event in Dallas, said: 'Yeah, this golf course is different, but at the same time, this week the wind is supposed to blow, which at The Open Championship it's always windy and around a golf course like this you have to hit quality golf shots. 'You have to work the ball both ways and you have to start moving the ball in certain directions and at The Open Championship that's what you're doing the whole time. You're manipulating shots to work it into the wind or ride the wind or use the ground as your friend and not like back in the States where everything is just hit a ball up in the air. 'I feel like this place gets you in a good mindset on seeing a golf shot and hitting a golf shot like we're going to see next week.' Reed hopes to deliver at Portrush knowing a Claret Jug success could land him a dream return to The Ryder Cup. The LIV star doesn't have the ranking points to qualify automatically for Keegan Bradley's team at Bethpage, but victory in Northern Ireland will change the scene totally. Reed knows it and said: 'It's a hard one to answer. I think it all comes down to next week at The Open. Obviously play well here, but go ahead and win the Open Championship and I believe I'd be inside the top six on points, so I think that would lock it in and allow me to be on the team. 'Really the next couple weeks I have to play some solid golf, go out and contend on Sundays, have a chance to win golf tournaments and, if I do that, then hopefully Keegan picks me. But at the end of the day, because we only get the majors that have points for the Ryder Cup, it's an uphill battle. 'The good thing is I feel like I'm in a good spot right now as long as I go out and play well in the final major. 'The game feels really solid. We feel ready to go. My biggest thing is when we're going into here is to really just stay patient. I know this course is challenging and it can really take it out of you, especially with ball-striking wise and trying to hit fairways around this place. 'For me really it's go out there and try to do the same thing I've done the past two times here, just a little better, so I can hold up the trophy again.'
Newsweek
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Patrick Reed's $750 Million Lawsuit vs. Media Tossed out of Court
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The tension between golfers and the media has been simmering for years, but in 2022, Patrick Reed just turned that feud into a full-blown legal war with $750 lawsuit. But that lawsuit appears to officially be over! On Tuesday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit upheld the dismissal of Reed's defamation case against a lineup of golf media figures and outlets, including Golf Channel's Damon Hack, Shane Bacon, and Eamon Lynch, as well as Golfweek and its parent company, Gannett. AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 12: Patrick Reed of the United States leaves the fifth tee during the third round of the 2025 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 12, 2025 in Augusta,... AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 12: Patrick Reed of the United States leaves the fifth tee during the third round of the 2025 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 12, 2025 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by) More Getty Images The lawsuit, originally filed in August 2022 in Texas and refiled in Florida a month later, accused the defendants of conspiracy, injurious falsehood, tortious interference, and acting "in concert as joint tortfeasors." Reed claimed the media had painted him as a cheater and villain, costing him millions in endorsements. But the court was not convinced. "Reed simply failed to plead facts that addressed the element of 'actual malice' in the context of defamation against a public figure," the ruling stated. Reed Unable to Prove Actual Malice Actual malice is the reason so many public figures sue overseas. It does not exist there. But in America, the plaintiff must prove the defendants knowingly made falsities or with reckless disregard for whether it was true or false. It is a high bar to prove. The ruling added that Reed had two chances to present viable claims and failed both times. "Any further amendment would, therefore, be futile." Judge Timothy Corrigan, who dismissed the suit in 2022, reiterated in a 78-page ruling: "Many of the statements are not about Reed. Some statements are about LIV Golf, of which Reed is a member, but not specifically about Reed. "Others are matters of opinion or permissible rhetorical hyperbole. Still others are statements of fact, the truth of which are not challenged," Corrigan noted during the 2nd dismissal. One of the most cited examples was Reed's time at Augusta State University, where he was suspended from matches after teammates allegedly voted him off the team. Judge Robert Luck noted, "If they are true stories, whether they are negative or not, how can a bunch of true stories be actual malice?" Reed's attorney, Anthony Lake, argued this May that his client had never been "determined to be a cheater," and that the media's portrayal was unfair. But U.S. Circuit Judges Nancy Abudu and Robert Luck argued that articles had presented both sides, and many of the negative claims were based on well-known and documented history, including Reed's suspension from college. As the ruling hit headlines, Eamon Lynch couldn't resist a sarcastic jab. "Must cancel that check for eleventy billion dollars," he posted on X. The post, dripping in sarcasm, was a clear taunt, mocking the astronomical damages Reed had sought. The dismissal marks the end of a feud that blurred the lines between media scrutiny and legal overreach. More Golf: JJ Spaun notice 'complete 180' in players' attitude after U.S. Open win
Daily Record
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Outspoken LIV Golf star slams Open wreckage theory he's not having ahead of Portrush
American ace adamant Valderrama is perfect warm-up for NI Pumped-up Patrick Reed is adamant LIV stars' Open preparation isn't being damaged by being in Spain. The American ace is amongst the 19 players on the Saudi-backed series who are spending their build-up competing in Valderrama. While most of the game's elite are at the Genesis Scottish Open getting the ideal build-up for Royal Portrush on links turf, the LIV players are on different terrain in Spain. It's a widely-held view that will leave them at a major disadvantage going into the big one in Northern Ireland, but Reed is having none of that chat. The Ryder Cup star, who won the last LIV event in Dallas, said: 'Yeah, this golf course is different, but at the same time, this week the wind is supposed to blow, which at The Open Championship it's always windy and around a golf course like this you have to hit quality golf shots. 'You have to work the ball both ways and you have to start moving the ball in certain directions and at The Open Championship that's what you're doing the whole time. You're manipulating shots to work it into the wind or ride the wind or use the ground as your friend and not like back in the States where everything is just hit a ball up in the air. 'I feel like this place gets you in a good mindset on seeing a golf shot and hitting a golf shot like we're going to see next week.' Reed hopes to deliver at Portrush knowing a Claret Jug success could land him a dream return to The Ryder Cup. The LIV star doesn't have the ranking points to qualify automatically for Keegan Bradley's team at Bethpage, but victory in Northern Ireland will change the scene totally. Reed knows it and said: 'It's a hard one to answer. I think it all comes down to next week at The Open. Obviously play well here, but go ahead and win the Open Championship and I believe I'd be inside the top six on points, so I think that would lock it in and allow me to be on the team. 'Really the next couple weeks I have to play some solid golf, go out and contend on Sundays, have a chance to win golf tournaments and, if I do that, then hopefully Keegan picks me. But at the end of the day, because we only get the majors that have points for the Ryder Cup, it's an uphill battle. 'The good thing is I feel like I'm in a good spot right now as long as I go out and play well in the final major. 'The game feels really solid. We feel ready to go. My biggest thing is when we're going into here is to really just stay patient. I know this course is challenging and it can really take it out of you, especially with ball-striking wise and trying to hit fairways around this place. 'For me really it's go out there and try to do the same thing I've done the past two times here, just a little better, so I can hold up the trophy again.'
