Patrick Reed has been an incredibly divisive figure throughout his time in the professional game.

Controversy has followed Reed around everywhere he has played over the past 15 years or so.

The American has been accused of multiple rule breaches, including way back in 2019 when he received a two-stroke penalty for improving his lie in a bunker.

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Patrick Reed has received plenty of criticism from his fellow pros throughout the years, perhaps none more so than Rory McIlroy.

However, it is fair to say that the feud between Reed and McIlroy has mellowed over the past few months, perhaps even since the American left LIV Golf at the start of the year.

McIlroy may not be a fan of the way in which Reed has gone about his business in the past, but he clearly respects the 2018 Masters champion now.

As the old saying goes, respect is something that is earned, not given.

And the six-time major champion’s latest comments on Reed prove that the American is starting to shift people’s perception of him.

Rory McIlroy’s glowing endorsement of Patrick Reed

It’s no secret that McIlroy and Reed have never seen eye to eye. The feud between the two players really began in 2022 when Reed left the PGA Tour to join LIV Golf.

In 2023, Reed attempted to greet McIlroy on the driving range in Dubai, only to be totally ignored by the Northern Irishman.

The American then threw a tee at the six-time major winner in response to being ignored.

The reason why McIlroy was so peeved with Reed was because he was subpoenaed by the American’s lawyer on Christmas Eve in 2022.

Reed filed multiple lawsuits against the PGA Tour, McIlroy and many other players due to their alleged participation in an antitrust scheme to destroy LIV Golf.

However, time is a healer, and that has proven to be the case regarding McIlroy and Reed’s relationship.

McIlroy spoke about Reed during the Indian Open last week and the Northern Irishman has clearly gained a lot of respect for the American.

“I think the way Patrick has conducted himself this year, but also just how this is the route that he’s taken, and he’s put his head down, and he’s played the golf, and he’s let his clubs do the talking,“ McIlroy said.

“Patrick and I have had some really good battles over the years, and I respect him as a competitor, but I think it’s meant a lot to this tour that he’s done it the way he’s done it, and I think to his peers as well.“

However, McIlroy could not resist a quick jab in Reed’s direction, saying: “There are no lawsuits anymore, so that helps.“

Meanwhile, Jim Furyk suggested that he’s ready to bury the hatchet with Reed after the controversy that followed the Ryder Cup in France in 2018.

The 2018 Masters champion was critical of Furyk’s decision to split up his partnership with Jordan Spieth at Le Golf National.

“If Patrick Reed is one of those, that’s great,“ Furyk told The Telegraph.

“It’s been a long time since he’s been in our team room and, yeah, you know, Patrick and I will have that conversation.

“I’m looking forward to welcoming our best team of 12.“

It’s worth noting that McIlroy’s comments on Reed were a great endorsement for the American’s Ryder Cup hopes.

Furyk is clearly ready to welcome him back into the team room. Now the onus is on the 36-year-old to produce the level of golf required to make the US team in Ireland.

Patrick Reed has achieved the near impossible

The fraternity of professional golfers is notorious for being unforgiving. When someone falls foul of the rules or upsets other players, it is incredibly difficult for them to work their way back in.

However, Patrick Reed has seemingly managed to do just that.

The 36-year-old Texan has often been portrayed by the media as the pantomime villain.

However, what cannot be debated is Reed’s work ethic and determination to improve. The fact that he left LIV Golf without a direct route back to the PGA Tour already in place proves how committed he is to playing at the very highest level of the game.

It would not have been easy for Reed to regain the respect of Rory McIlroy after the long-term feud between the two players.

And it certainly wasn’t a foregone conclusion that Jim Furyk would even be considering Reed for the US Ryder Cup team after what happened in France eight years ago.

Patrick Reed has managed to turn things around regarding his relationship with McIlroy and his chances of playing on the US Ryder Cup team at Adare Manor.

Interestingly, Reed also seems to have changed the public’s opinion of him as a person. He no longer plays the role of villain during tournaments.

Instead, golf fans appreciate the American playing golf globally in order to regain his place at the top table of the sport.

And for that, Patrick Reed deserves immense credit.