McIlroy and Reed mend fences at DP World India Championship in Delhi

Rory McIlroy and Patrick Reed appeared to ease their long-running rift at the Delhi Golf Club during the DP World India Championship on Thursday, exchanging pleasantries on the course. McIlroy carded a two-under-par first round.

The split began after Reed moved to LIV Golf while McIlroy remained aligned with the PGA Tour. Tensions escalated at the 2023 Hero Dubai Desert Classic when McIlroy appeared to ignore Reed on the practice range and Reed responded by flicking a LIV-branded tee towards him. McIlroy also revealed he had been miffed at being served a subpoena by Reed’s lawyer on Christmas Eve some months earlier.

Reed quit LIV Golf earlier this year, a development the article says helped clear the way for reconciliation, and the two players exchanged cordial words at the Delhi Golf Club during the championship. On the easing of tensions McIlroy said, “There are no lawsuits anymore, so that helps (laughs).”

McIlroy, the Northern Irishman, added: “Patrick has put his head down and let the clubs do the talking. Patrick and I have had some battles over the years, and I respect him as a competitor. The character he has shown in coming back to the PGA Tour has meant a lot to the guys on the Tour. He has done it the right way. That speaks a lot about who he is and how he has evolved,” McIlroy said.

McIlroy suggested it was best to leave past disputes behind in his public remarks following the opening round. The exchange at the Delhi Golf Club comes while McIlroy and Reed continue to contend with one another in the Race to Dubai.