‘Captain America’ wins Masters
Reed claims first major title, holding off Fowler, Spieth, McIlroy
The tepid applause that greeted Patrick Reed on the first tee made it clear he wasn’t the people’s choice.
All he cared about was being the Masters champion.
He turned back an early move by Rory McIlroy and a late charge by Rickie Fowler. Most daunting in the middle of the final round Sunday was a familiar name at Augusta National – Jordan Spieth – on the verge of the greatest comeback in Masters history.
Reed had the game and the grit to beat them all.
And when he slipped on that green jacket, he had everyone’s respect.
“I knew it was going to be a dogfight,” Reed said.
“It’s just a way of God basically saying, ‘Let’s see if you have it.’ Everyone knows you have it physically with the talent. But do you have it mentally? Can you handle the ups and downs throughout the round?”
He has proven that playing for his country. He did it Sunday for himself.
The final test was a 25-foot putt down the scary slope on the 18th green, and Reed pressed down both hands, begging it to stop as it rolled three feet by. From there, the 27-yearold Texan calmly rolled in the par putt for a 1-under 71 and a one-shot victory.
Known as “Captain America” for his play in the Ryder Cup, Reed added a far more important title: Masters champion.
The loudest cheers were for everyone else, and Reed picked up on that right away. The crowd was squarely behind McIlroy and his best chance yet at completing the career Grand Slam.
Then it was Spieth, running off four birdies in a five-hole stretch on the back nine to challenge the course record. The loudest cheer was for Fowler when he made an eight-foot birdie putt on the final hole to pull within one.
Reed never flinched through it all.
“I just went out there and just tried to play golf the best I could and tried to stay in the moment and not worry about everything else,” Reed said.
Reed, who finished at 15under 273, won for the sixth time in his PGA Tour career.
Until Sunday, he was best known for the trophies he shared at the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup.