You could never argue a Patrick Reed press conference is dull. Take Reed’s pre-Memorial presser with the current World No. 9 and reigning Farmers Insurance Open winner asked to comment on a new cap sponsor, team relationships at a Ryder Cup and the state of his game returning next fortnight to Torrey Pines where he won earlier this year. And the best question, well I think, of all concerned the very noisy cicadas about the Muirfield Village course with the Texan revealing a few of the ‘rocking’ cicadas got up-close-and-personal by landing on his white trousers.
This week marks Reed’s sixth appearance in ‘Jack’s event’ with the now 30-year- old having made his debut in 2015 with a best finish of T8th a year later. Whether you like Reed or not, there is always something of interest when he talks. Since winning at Torrey Pines, where the U.S. Open is heading to the South Course next fortnight, we notice that Reed is sporting a new cap sponsor – The North Carolina based cbdMD.
A website check reveals cbdMD has become one of the most trusted names in hemp-based products, including CBD oils, tinctures, gummies, and beyond thanks to its high-quality hemp extracts and commitment to forward-thinking technology.
So, the first question to Reed was: “Just looking at your hat, do you use that stuff?”
PATRICK REED: “Excuse me?”
“Do you use the stuff, the cbdMD stuff?”
PATRICK REED: “I do. And it’s amazing. cbdMD, they have really helped out on just kind of aching and pains and kind of dealing with the highs and lows of golf. Golf’s a stressful game, but life is also stressful and the time we’re living in these days and any way that you can naturally help yourself and better yourself is something that I feel like is important and needs to help everybody.”
So, let’s make the next question to the former Masters winner, a little more topical and let’s get Reed’s view on Tom Watson’s remarks of a day earlier in suggesting the reason why Europe does well at the Ryder Cup encounters is the strength of their relationships as opposed to many within USA teams who just don’t get on at all.
Firstly, by way of background, Reed has played in the last three Ryder Cups. In both 2014 and 2016 Reed’s partner was fellow Texan Jordan Spieth and the pair were unbeaten in their six matches in 2014 and 2016 but come 2018, US captain Jim Furyk separated them with Reed and partner, Tiger Woods losing both their Versailles matches. Come the Sunday Singles, Reed was just one of three winning Americans.
“I think the biggest thing is it’s not as much of if you have a good relationship with a player or not, more you respect the player,” he said.
“If you have respect for the guy and you know his strengths and his weaknesses, you try to find ways that not only are you helping your teammate but helping your team out by pairing the guys up with people that can bounce off of each other and pick each other up.
“I feel like the biggest thing in Ryder Cups is more about who can, what teams you can put out there that not only help each other play but also as the whole team to take away any weaknesses. So, then you’re putting out strong teams that can pick each other up. Because the biggest thing is it’s not as much of going out and playing with your buddies as much as it’s going out there and doing your job and trying to win points and win the cup.
“And the best way to do that is by making sure you put guys together that can really go out and dominate golf courses and pick up each other’s strengths and weaknesses.”
Reed tees-up in the Memorial coming off a T6th at the Wells Fargo, a T17th in the PGA Championship and missing the halfway cut last week at the Charles Schwab Challenge in his beloved Texas. So, where is your game right now?
“The game feels good. I’ve been bouncing back and forth between two drivers and went out and actually played the front nine today with my old Ping that I won in 2018 with at Augusta and then I played the last nine with my Titleist and I feel like I had full control over both drivers as well as had control over my iron shots,” he said.
“I think that’s the biggest thing that I’ve seen this week and what I’ve seen is the golf course has obviously gotten longer, it’s softer because of the weather, but the rough is just brutal. It’s so thick and nasty that you have to play out of the short grass.
“I feel like I’ve been swinging really well, I feel like the game’s going where it’s supposed to be heading and trending towards and really when that’s going on just gives me more confidence and I feel like I’m able to plot myself around places and really give myself a chance to win a golf tournament.”
Of course, as mentioned above, Reed will be returning to Torrey Pines the week after next for the U.S. Open with a best finish in the U.S. Open of fourth in 2018 at Shinnecock Hills. And despite a slight rules controversy earlier this year on route to capturing a ninth PGA Tour title, Reed was asked if he has ‘good vibes’ returning to Torrey Pines.
“I definitely take good vibes from my win earlier this year,” he said. “Really the only difference I feel like there is, is they have two extra tee boxes that they have. It’s a tee box I think they have a longer one on 11 and then the one on 15 that is a bear. Which really, at the end of the day, it’s go out there and it’s Torrey Pines. You have to hit the fairway, you have to hit greens, you have to make putts.
“And any time you’re playing a U.S. Open you know how penalising the rough is going to be. So you have to have full control over your golf ball and when I won back there earlier this year it was the same thing, you hit it in the rough you’re going to pay a penalty for it. So, you have to go and hit fairways and have to attack the golf course and I feel like if I do that, then I feel like it would be a good test.”
Now the best question of the day with Reed asked how bad are the cicadas – yes, cicadas.
“It got brought up today when I was on the 7th. We were back on that tee and they were rocking,” said Reed smiling. “It was really loud and they were going. But you know, they’re fine because it’s just the steady kind of noise. So, it almost feels like just white noise. So, it’s not that bad. But it definitely makes it more lively out there. You definitely hear them.
“And yesterday I wore white pants and there were two or three of them that kind of came and latched onto my white pants at one point. I’m sitting there — first off, I didn’t know in the very beginning, and I kind of looked down and I’m like, what is this that’s on my leg? And so, no, I mean it actually drowns out some of the noise from golf carts and from people walking from a distance that you don’t hear and so if anything, it’s actually helping, so bring them on.”
So, there you have it right from the former Masters winner’s mouth – don’t wear white coloured trousers.
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