Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee has long been a critic of LIV Golf, often citing the atrocities committed by Saudi Arabia when disparaging the league.
Brandel Chamblee takes victory lap at Patrick Reed’s expense amid judge’s ironic ruling
After a Florida Judge ordered Patrick Reed to pay for Brandel Chamblee’s legal bills, the Golf Channel analyst piled on.
Jack Milko has been playing golf since he was five years old. He has yet to record a hole-in-one, but he did secure an M.A. in Sports Journalism from St. Bonaventure University.
He has also criticized Patrick Reed plenty, not only for his association with LIV but for the various rules controversies that have beleaguered his career. Reed has been at the center of disputes in Dubai, Torrey Pines, and at the Hero World Challenge over the past five years.
These criticisms prompted Reed to sue Chamblee and other journalists for a ridiculous $750 million in a defamation lawsuit. Reed argued that members of the media—including Chamblee—actively sought to destroy his reputation and continually ridicule LIV Golf.
And yet, Florid Judge Timothy Corrigan, who serves as the Chief Judge for Florida’s Middle District in the United States District Court, dismissed these lawsuits twice.
Then, on Jan. 5, 2024, Corrigan ordered Reed to pay the legal bills of the defense, thus indicating that Reed’s legal actions ultimately backfired.
As such, Chamblee took a victory lap once the ruling was made public:
“To be fair he has been bought, and now works for a man who doesn’t allow free speech… so I can see how Reed would fall into this trap,” Chamblee posted on X.
Chamblee re-tweeted Andrew Pantazi’s post outlining the Order, which concluded that Reed brought about meritless lawsuits seeking to violate the First Amendment.
In doing so, Chamblee referenced the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF)—LIV Golf’s beneficiary.
The PIF serves as the sovereign wealth fund of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which has a terrible history of human rights abuses. The Kingdom also ranks as one of the worst countries in the world in terms of freedom rating, meaning its citizens have no control over its government, nor are they allowed to criticize freely. Only state-controlled media operates within Saudi Arabia, meaning independent outlets do not exist.
Surely, Chamblee will continue to criticize LIV Golf, as he has the freedom to do so. He seemingly does whenever he has the opportunity.
This latest ruling gave Chamblee yet another chance to do so again. But unlike his other diatribes, the longtime journalist will be getting an extra payday from Reed this time around.
Chamblee and the other defendants listed in this case have until Jan. 24, 2024, to file a motion regarding legal fees and costs. Reed will have Feb. 23, 2024, to respond and consequently pay the legal bills associated with this lawsuit.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.
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