Infotainment Factory: Villain's 'malicious attack' claim thrown out of court

LIV Golf League player Patrick Reed's $1.1 billion defamation lawsuits against the Golf Channel, and other media outlets has been dismissed.

A judge put a line through Reed's complaints in both lawsuits, stating there was not sufficient proof that media organisations had malice when reporting about Reed signing with the rebel league.

Reed's filing claimed "calculated, malicious, false and reckless attacks" had caused him major damage.

"While Reed may be frustrated at the negative media coverage he receives (some of which seems over the top), under Florida law and the First Amendment, Reed fails to bring actionable defamation claims and his cases therefore must be dismissed," US District Judge Timothy J Corrigan wrote in the court ruling.

The complaints alleged the media organisations were co-conspirators for their "anticompetitive conduct and anticompetitive practices in order to destroy the upstart LIV Golf Tour, Mr. Reed, and fellow LIV Golf players in order to annihilate any competition with the PGA Tour and DP World Tour," according to a news release from Reed's attorney, Larry Klayman.

The news release said the defendants labelled Reed a "cheater, liar, a thief, a murderer and someone who accepts blood money from terrorists."

Judge Corrigan's ruling stated: "However, 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," added Corrigan.

"Others are matters of opinion or permissible rhetorical hyperbole.

"Still others are statements of fact, the truth of which are not challenged. And Reed does not meet the required pleading of actual malice to hold the press liable for defamation."

Reed won the 2018 Masters champion and is a nine-time winner on the PGA Tour, earning more than $37 million during his tour career.