Patrick Reed, winner of the Masters in 2018, returns to Augusta to compete for his second Green Jacket at a very special moment in his career. A few months ago he made the decision to end his spell at LIV Golf and focus on returning to the PGA Tour. Although before he can compete again on the U.S. circuit, he’ll have to wait a few months that he is squeezing out on the DP World Tour, where he already has two victories, leads the Race to Dubai and presents himself as a clear candidate to secure one of the 10 cards on offer for the North American tour.
This Monday, in the press room at Augusta National, Reed expanded on his current situation, his excellent form, his expectations at the Masters and his decision to return to his roots after experiencing the Saudi circuit. But he also assessed what competing on other tours and in other countries can bring him, both this week and on his upcoming return to United States, something that may help him become a more complete player.
Patrick did not hesitate to label the PGA Tour as the best circuit in the world: “Yes, it is. It’s where the best players are and the most competitive courses. I’ve played on all the circuits and the highest level is there”. And he also did not seem to hesitate when committing to his return: “It was a quick decision. In Dubai I felt I wanted to return to the traditional format, to compete directly against rivals on the course. It was also a family decision, to be closer to home. I enjoyed my time in LIV, but I felt this was best for me”.
Reed revealed that LIV tried to keep him, confirming that there was a renewal offer: “Yes, but we decided the best thing was to return to the PGA Tour“. And until he can meet the necessary requirements to regain playing rights on the U.S. tour, he is enjoying being a ‘free agent’, a new experience in his career: “It’s fun. It’s harder to find sponsors, but I’m enjoying it. The hard part now is deciding what to wear each day. This season there will be a lot of travel, especially on the DP World Tour, but when I’m at home I want to make the most of the time with my family”.
As for the Masters, the San Antonio native gave his particular view: “Augusta is a course where you have to be patient. I always try to force it, and here that doesn’t work. This course represents what golf is: being in the present, being patient and trusting yourself. When I get here I stop being so mechanical and I’m more creative, I play the shots I see. That’s why it’s a place I love to come to every year”.
His feelings this week are very good: “I always feel good coming here. It’s the first major and it’s easy to put pressure on yourself. In 2018 I decided to loosen up and play golf, and it worked. That’s what I try to do always, treat it like any other tournament, even if it’s a special place. Walking in through Magnolia Lane always makes you feel good, especially as a champion. I hope to create more memories. That Green Jacket feels a bit lonely, maybe it needs another”.
Reed believes that having travelled so much around the world in recent years and played golf in different countries has helped him: “It’s made me appreciate the sport and the cultures more. I like to live the local experience, the food, the places. Having the opportunity to play all over the world and immerse myself in different cultures is very important to me and one of the reasons I love to travel so much”.
And he is convinced that those accumulated experiences will help him when he has to return to the PGA Tour: “I’m very excited to return. Playing on different surfaces, climates and time zones makes you better. All these players are very good when they’re sharp, but the key is to perform when you don’t have your best day. Travelling so much helps you manage that, and I think it will make me better when I compete there again”.
The Texan admits it won’t be easy to repeat victory at Augusta because the number of favourites is growing: “The level of golf is getting higher and higher. Before there were five or six favourites, now there are ten or twelve players with a real chance of winning. That makes the tournament more special”. And his recipe for trying to be the chosen one has been rest: “I don’t remember the last time I rested so much before Augusta. I’ve worked on my game, but I’ve also been able to spend time with my family, take my son to practice and travel with my daughter to volleyball tournaments. It’s incredible to be able to be a father, train in the morning and then pick the kids up from school. That balance is something I didn’t have before”.
To conclude, Patrick referred to what, in his view, has improved in his game, and to the two big absences from this Masters. “Consistency with the long game. Now I have more confidence and I can attack more pins. Before I relied on the short game, now I use it as a weapon. I feel that my whole game is at a good level. Now it’s just about going out, having clarity and enjoying it. Have I lost weight? I don’t know. I feel good. I’ve worked more in the gym, but I haven’t sought anything in particular”, he commented about his golf. And regarding Tiger and Mickelson, he closed his appearance by saying: “The important thing is that they’re well. Golf loses without them, but the main thing is that they come back healthy”
