In response to a series of allegations put forward by journalist and GolfDigest.com contributor Shane Ryan in his forthcoming book -- among them that Patrick Reed cheated and stole while a student in college -- Reed and his IMG management team issued the following statement to GolfChannel.com:
"The accusations that were made against me are serious and were intended to damage my reputation and character. They will not be taken lightly. My team and my representatives are looking into all aspects of this matter, and we look forward to setting the record straight. "For now, I'm staying focused on my life in the present and being the best husband, father and golfer I can be."
An adapted excerpt from Ryan's book "*Slaying The Tiger: How golf's young guns took over the sport" (due to be released in May 2015) *was published on Deadspin.com last Friday. It painted Reed as a win-at-all-costs competitor who clashed repeatedly with teammates and coaches. It also alleged that Reed stole "a watch, a Scotty Cameron putter, and $400 cash" from a teammate while at the University of Georgia, and that teammates once caught Reed "red-handed trying to cheat."
On Monday, responding to Reed's statement, author Ryan issued the following to GolfDigest.com:
"The piece on Patrick Reed has inspired more than a few strong reactions, and I hope to respond to some of those thoughts soon. For the moment, I can confirm that I haven't heard directly from Patrick or anyone on his team. I'd also like to reiterate that my confidence in the work hasn't changed a bit since publication. I stand by the reporting methods, the truth of the content that was presented, and the ultimate relevance of the story."
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