Reed is backed to continue making strides

COACH Josh Gregory believes Patrick Reed’s Masters success is only the start for the cocky American.

Gregory was Reed’s coach in college at Augusta State and has continued to work with him as a professional. Having watched Reed’s victory from his home in Texas, he spoke to his protege on the phone.

“He said he hadn’t taken his green jacket off since he won,” Gregory said. “He was headed to New York, and it was pretty cool to share that with somebody you have a close relationship with.”

Gregory said Reed’s runner-up finish at last year’s PGA Championship was an invaluable learn-

Major breakthrough: Patrick Reed hails his Masters success

ing experience and allowed him to stick to his game plan on Sunday at Augusta, as Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler made moves.

He also said he expects Reed’s Major breakthrough to give him even more confidence.

“He feeds off confidence. He knew he was going to do this one day but to actually do it and have that green jacket validates the work ethic he had to put in to get there,” Gregory said. “He’s really going to take off.”

Meanwhile, World No.4 Jon Rahm has his sights set on securing a first professional title on home soil when he returns to Centro Nacional de Golf for this week’s Open de Espana.

The Barrika ace used the facilities at the Madrid venue in his youth during an amateur career which saw him crowned Spanish Golf Federation National Champion at various age groups.

“To be a part of it and know all the Spanish legends have won it — I would love to add my name to it,” he said. TOP seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas and the second-seeded Kyle Edmund made comfortable progress in the opening round of the Grand Prix Hassan II.

Spaniard Ramos-Vinolas faced few problems as he saw off home hope Amine Ahouda 6-1 6-2 in Marrakech.

British No.1 Edmund raced into a 5-0 lead against Jiri Vesely and what was already shaping up to be a routine win for the 23-year-old became even easier when Vesely retired from the match.

It was not all plain sailing for the seeds though.

Holland’s Robin Haase, the fifth seed, went down 4-6 6-4 7-5

Marching on: Kyle Edmund is making progress in Marrakech

to Mirza Basic of Bosnia and Alexandr Dolgopolov, the seventh seed from Ukraine, lost 6-2 6-3 to Italian Andrea Arnaboldi.

Having elected to receive, Edmund quickly got his powerful forehand working and broke his opponent’s serve in the opening game.

Edmund did not drop a point in the next two games and lost only his third point of the match when he double faulted in game four for 15-15.

But after winning the next three points, Edmund held a 4-0 lead. He looked set to take game five after going 40-0 up only for rival Vesely to bring it back to deuce.

Edmund won the next point to earn a fourth break point of the game and made no mistake to claim a 5-0 lead in the opening set, at which point Vesely retired to hand his opponent an easy win.

In the next round, Edmund will meet Italy’s Andreas Seppi or Radu Albot of Moldova.