Focus on Patrick Reed

Who is Patrick Reed?
Sometimes referred to as ‘Captain America’ for his leading role representing the US in team events, Patrick Reed is a Texan golfer who most recently won the 2018 Masters Tournament.

Where did he come from?
Texas-born Reed started his amateur career at University High School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; he won the 2006 Junior British Open and qualified for the US Amateur in 2007. He built his leadership streak early with victories leading his school to state championships in the same two years, and won the state medallist honours in 2007.

His college years at the University of Georgia were tainted with accusations of cheating on the course and theft in the locker room, and Reed was also arrested for intoxication. After that, he enrolled at Augusta State University and lead the school to NCAA Division I titles.

How did he rise to the top?
Reed lost the 2008 US Amateur to Danny Lee, but later in his college career he won the 2010 Jones Cup Invitational. He turned professional in 2011 at the age of 20, competing in his first PGA Tour event, the FedEx St Jude Classic, in June that year. He missed the cut but played two more events.

The first few years of Reed’s career were mixed, with some smaller victories – including becoming the 12^th first-time PGA Tour winner of the year after a playoff against Jordan Spieth at the Wyndham Championship. In 2014, he set the record for the most strokes under par after 54 holes at the PGA Tour.

In March that same year, he won the WGC-Cadillac Championship. After that, more PGA Tour title successes ensued – and the golfer recently bagged his first Masters win this year.
  

What are his key achievements?
The 2018 Masters was a huge victory for Reed, who’s had a lot of bad press since he embarked on his career. He was also victorious in the 2014 WGC-Cadillac Championship, and sees regular successes representing the US in Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup competitions.

What’s his golfing style?
Reed favours colourful or striped polo shirts on the green, paired with simple black trousers and a black – or sometimes striking white – belt. In contrast to his peers Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, Reed’s partial to a traditional golf shoe over the more contemporary trainer choice.