Reed edges Fowler, Spieth to capture Masters thriller
Reed’s feistiness in team events has earned him the nickname ‘Captain America’. On Sunday, he showed the same never-say-die attitude in winning the Masters – his first Major win.
Repelling one charge after another on his lead, the 27-yearold managed to hold on for a onestroke win over Rickie Fowler after shooting a one-under 71 that included clutch pars and birdies just when he needed them. A former student of Augusta University, the American finally graduated to become a Master.
Reed finished on 15-under 273, while Fowler’s weekend rounds of 65 and 67 helped him end 2nd.
Starting the day three shots ahead, the first onslaught was carried by Reed’s playing partner Rory McIlroy. The Northern Irishman, who was attempting to win a career grand slam, parred the opening hole as Reed made a bogey. Then, McIlroy hit two great shots to five feet on the par-5 second, but missed the eagle to draw level with Reed. He then bogied the third, and it was the end of his challenge.
But Reed’s biggest challenge came from Jordan Spieth and Fowler. Spieth got five-under 31 after starting the day nine shots adrift. He then ramped up the pressure with birdies on the 12th, 13th, 15th and 16th holes, but
needing a birdie on the last to tie the all-time lowest round in a major, his tee shot clipped the branch of a tree on the 18th and got a bogey.
Fowler was one-over after seven holes. But he then
unleashed six birdies to set the clubhouse marker on 14-under.
“I knew it was going to be a dogfight,” said Reed, a five-time champion on the PGA Tour. “It’s just a way of God basically saying, ‘Let’s see if you have it’.”