Judge dismisses Patrick Reed’s $750M defamation lawsuits

A federal judge in Florida on Wednesday dismissed LIV Golf League player Patrick Reed‘s $750 million defamation lawsuits against the Golf Channel, several of its commentators and other golf writers and media outlets.

U.S. District Court Judge Timothy J. Corrigan of the Middle District of Florida in Jacksonville wrote in a 78-page ruling that Reed’s complaints in both lawsuits fell short of alleging sufficient facts showing the defendants had actual malice when making comments about him, “which is fatal to each defamation claim.”

“His Amended Complaints reference over 50 different allegedly defamatory statements,” Corrigan wrote. “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. Others are matters of opinion or permissible…