Reed earns sensational win
Patrick Reed came from four shots behind on the back nine to win the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in stunning fashion on Monday.
The American was four strokes behind leader Jimmy Walker with just four holes to play at the Plantation course at Kapalua, Hawaii.
“I thought my chances were slim,” quipped Reed on espn.go.com.
“So I was just thinking to myself, ‘Let’s try to birdie three of the last four and get ourselves a chance to secure second alone, and give ourselves a chance…just maybe.”
Walker tried to play it safe off the tee on the par four 14th but found a bunker. This would lead to a bogey, opening the door for Reed.
The WGC-Cadillac Championship winner obliged on the par five 15th, reaching the green in two and two putting for a birdie. Reed carried his momentum into the 16th hole, where he holed a 80 yard wedge for an eagle, giving him a share of the lead.
“I walked to 17 tee and heard that Jimmy was at 21 (under) as well,” added the 24-year-old.
“I was like, ‘Oh, wow.'”
But the pressure got to the Texan and he bogeyed the 17th when his four foot par putt lipped out. Walker, in the meantime, sank a par putt on the par five 18th to finish on 21 under for the tournament.
One down and one to play, Reed rose to the occasion. After a booming drive, his second rolled on the front of the green. Reed then two putted for a birdie that would force a playoff.
Walker again played in safe, laying up on the replay of the 18th. Unfortunately, his third would go over the green and he would eventually leave himself with a six footer for par. But it was all in vain, as Reed rolled in an 18 foot birdie to seal a memorable win.
“It was there for me to win,” Walker said, referring to his multiple missed birdie putts.
“It was a bummer I didn’t close the door on it. I can’t do anything about him [Reed]. I can’t control that. I can control what I was doing, and I wasn’t doing my job.”
The chasing pack, on 20 under, included Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, first round leader Russell Henley and Jason Day, who surged up the leader-board following a sizzling 11 under 62.
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