Jordan Spieth came hard for Patrick Reed Sunday at the Masters. Rickie Fowler gave chase, too, and Rory McIlroy stayed in his face.
“Patrick has got a three-shot lead,” McIlroy told reporters Saturday. “I think all the pressure is on him . . . He’s got that to deal with and sleep on tonight.”
But Reed just kept making shots and knocking down putts to win the Masters at 15-under par, one shot better than Fowler. This was not the outcome the oddsmakers expected.
He won his first major tournament, earned the green jacket and gave the PGA Tour another distinct character to post on its marquee.
He doesn’t look like a professional golfer. If you called up central casting and asked for a slow-pitch softball slugger, you would get Patrick Reed.
He got booted off the University of Georgia golf team for disciplinary reasons. He had some issues at Augusta State, too, before turning pro and irritating rivals with his brash persona.
He is estranged from his parents and his sister. He doesn’t welcome questions about his personal life. But Reed, 27, won with grace over the weekend.
“I just kind of went out there and just tried to play golf the best I could and tried to stay in the moment and not worry about everything else,” he said during his post-tournament news conference.
A SUNDAY TO REMEMBER
The final round of the Masters was a classic, with Spieth charging with his 8-under par 64 and Fowler playing 4-under in his last seven holes to keep the pressure on Reed.
Clearly the gallery wanted McIlroy to win the tournament, so Reed played off of that vibe Sunday.
“I walked up to the first tee and had a really welcoming cheer from the fans,” said Reed. “But then when Rory walked up to the tee, you know, his cheer was a little louder. But that’s another thing that just kind of played into my hand. Not only did it fuel my fire a little bit, but also, it just takes the pressure off of me, and adds it back onto him.’’
He didn’t flinch when Spieth briefly pulled even with him at 14-under Sunday. Or when Fowler made his dramatic late push.
“I knew it was going to be a dogfight,” Reed told reporters. “It’s just a way of God basically saying, ‘Let’s see if you have it.’ Everyone knows you have it physically with the talent. But do you have it mentally? Can you handle the ups and downs throughout the round?”
Reed played it smart, methodically shooting par on his last four holes to finish the round 1-under par.
“Patrick, he’s not scared,” Fowler told reporters afterward. “I don’t necessarily see him as someone that backs up and will let you come back in the tournament. You have to go catch him.”
A NEW GOLFING STAR IS BORN
With this championship in hand, Reed gives folks more to think about when they handicap golf tournaments this year. Fans went into the Masters wondering if Tiger Woods could take the next step in his comeback or if McIlroy could complete his career Grand Slam.
They came away marveling at Reed’s poise. He led by two shots after Friday’s windy second round, then extended the margin to three shots Saturday while others faltered in the rain.
Then he held off three of golf’s biggest names Sunday.
“It’s everything we’ve been working hard for,” Justine Reed, Patrick’s wife and former caddie, told ESPN. “A lot of people, for a long time, maybe don’t say his name as often as they should. That’s what I think. I’ve always thought he’s a great player. That’s what he did today. He showed his true colors.”
