Marc Leishman says Patrick Reed can expect plenty of needle from International team fans at next week's Presidents Cup in Melbourne after golf's most-polarising figure had been caught cheating in the Bahamas.
Reed copped a two-stroke penalty for improper swings in a waste bunker during Saturday's third round of the Tiger Woods-hosted event.
The 2018 Masters champion was sanctioned for flattening out sand behind his ball with two practice swings, but insisted he didn't improve his lie despite conceding he had moved sand and therefore violated the rules.
"It's unfortunate," said Reed, whose bogey at the 11th hole was changed to a triple-bogey eight.
"I didn't feel it drag, but then when they brought it up to me, it definitely did drag some of the sand and, because of that, it's considered a two-stroke penalty.
"I think with a different camera angle, they would have realised that, if it was from the side you would have seen that with the back swing, it was not improving the lie because it was far enough away from the golf ball.
"But after seeing that camera angle, because it brushed the sand, it was a penalty."
Slugger White, US PGA Tour vice president of rules and competitions, said the matter was clear cut.
"You cannot remove or press down loose soil or sand - that's the bottom line," White said, noting Reed's intent was irrelevant.
One of the most-maligned players on tour, Reed dealt with accusations of cheating and stealing from teammates during his college days and was already an easy target for International team fans at Royal Melbourne.
Leishman says the world No.17 has given fans plenty more ammunition to roast him when the Woods-captained USA outfit chase an eighth-straight Presidents Cup win.
"I did see and it was pretty ordinary, to be honest," Leishman said after his Saturday third round at the Australian Open.
"It didn't look too good for him."
Reed's conduct caused a huge stir on social media, with many people posting skits of children shovelling sand and comparing it to the American's bunker play.
"There's opportunities there (to sledge Reed). Maybe not (with) shovels. But there's definitely opportunities - that he's brought on himself.
"As long as it's not disrespectful. You never want to cross the line but there's some pretty good ammo there, isn't there?"
Leishman was asked if he wanted to go head to head with Reed in Melbourne.
"I don't really care who I play, to be honest. Whoever Ernie puts me up against, I'm happy to play," he said.
"I don't want to give anyone any ammunition to want to beat us any more than what they already do.
"So I'll just hopefully play good golf, beat whoever I'm playing and, hopefully, we'll have a successful week."
Australian Associated Press
