Patrick Reed was overlooked for the USA Ryder Cup team by Steve Stricker and was forced to watch his compatriots dominate Europe to regain the crown by a record-breaking 19-9 scoreline at Whistling Straits. Stricker confessed that it was difficult to leave out the 2018 Masters winner, although his prickly reputation may have counted against the 31-year-old.
Reed has made no secret of his antagonistic nature on the course. He is far from the most popular player on the PGA Tour and has even caused ructions in his own family. The USA team were criticised in the past for a lack of togetherness compared to their European counterparts. Stricker believed that he had enough issues to contend with during the week due to the well-known feud between Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka. As a result, he opted to leave out Reed, despite his impressive pedigree at the Ryder Cup, boasting a 7-3-2 record including three singles’ victories.
In his tournaments since, Reed has attempted to prove a point as he finished second in the Bermuda Championship. The snub should provide him with ample motivation in his bid to add to his one major, being backed in the golf betting odds at 28/1 to win The Masters for a second time. Reed’s form along with the rest of the leading contenders on the PGA Tour can be monitored at https://betting.betfair.com/golf/ before the event in Augusta in April.
Reed has a propensity to perform when the critics are out in force, and it would not be a surprise to see him make a surge for the Green Jacket. He would love nothing more than to dominate the field and his compatriots to ensure that he could not be left out of the Ryder Cup in 2023. Due to the intense competition for places in the USA ranks, with only the top six in the Ryder Cup standings guaranteed a slot in the 12-man team, Reed did leave his fate in the hands of Stricker for one of the six captains’ picks.
After a bright start to 2021 where he won the Farmers’ Insurance Open and finished inside the top-10 of the 2021 WGC Championship and The Masters, the 31-year-old struggled for form. He was off the pace at the US Open and PGA Championship and then missed the cut at The Open. Those results would haunt Reed in his bid to reach the Ryder Cup due to the exceptional consistency of his compatriots.
The long road for Reed to ensure that he returns to the competition in two years, starting with The Masters. He relished the competition in 2018 and displayed the ultimate composure where two of his rivals Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth failed on the day and in their attempts to close out the Green Jacket in 2011 and 2016 respectively.
Reed is a combative player and thrives off the intensity of competition. He is a box-office player to watch at his best. The 31-year-old certainly has the motivation to embark on a surge in 2022, but he needs to harness his quality to deliver on the major stage to prove a point once and for all.