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Peter Kostis: I've seen Patrick Reed improve his lie 4 times

Sam Greenwood / Getty Images Sport / Getty

After following PGA Tour players on the course for years during golf telecasts, former CBS broadcaster Peter Kostis revealed alarming details about what he's witnessed Patrick Reed get away with during competition.

"I've seen Patrick Reed improve his lie up close and personal four times now," Kostis said on the "No Laying Up" podcast.

Kostis, who isn't back at CBS in 2020 after his contract wasn't renewed, didn't witness Reed's sand-sweeping incident at the Hero World Challenge in December because he didn't work during that broadcast. However, he said it wasn't shocking based on Reed's track record.

He shared the story of Reed pulling off a similar maneuver in thick rough.

"You can go on YouTube," Kostis said. "It was the only time I ever shut (Gary) McCord up. He didn't know what to say when I said 'Well, the lie that I saw originally wouldn't have allowed for this shot' because he put four or five clubs behind the ball, kind of faking whether he was going to hit this shot or hit that shot. By the time he was done, he hit a freaking 3-wood out of there. When I saw it, it was as a sand wedge lay up, originally."

Here's the shot Kostis is referring to at the 2016 Barclays Championship, which Reed went on to win.

Kostis also said he witnessed Reed improve his lie in San Diego and Hartford during the Farmers Insurance Open and Travelers Championship, respectively.

Despite Reed's actions, Kostis doesn't believe this type of behavior is a widespread problem.

"It's really, really rare on the PGA Tour. I mean, 99.99% of the guys play by the rulebook and they are to be applauded for that," he said. "...It's been my experience that people who are trying to get away with something think that they are invisible, that nobody is watching, and that they are so cool doing it that nobody will get it."

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