Reed all about it: Furyk hits back in defence of Patrick-Tiger pairing
IT’S taking a while for the dust to settle. Just over a week on from losing the Ryder Cup to Europe in France, it seems there are still a few things that need to be dusted off the chest as far as those involved with Team America are concerned.
If the 17½ - 10½ reversal at Le Golf National was something of a calamity, the contentious odds and sods that emerged from the debris have kept the cogs of chatter and intrigue clattering on at a sprightly lick.
Amongst it all, Patrick Reed was critical of US captain, Jim Furyk, for playing him only twice in the fourballs and foursomes while the reigning Masters champion blamed Spieth for splitting up a profitable partnership that had been highly successful at the last two Ryder Cups. That Reed was put out in a dismal pairing with Tiger Woods added to his sense of grievance.
But, in his first interview since it all erupted in bickering and back-biting, Furyk dismissed Reed’s comments that he was “blindsided” by the decision to split him from Spieth and stated that all the players knew well in advance what the script would be.
“They [Reed and Woods] had such a great relationship with Tiger as a vice-captain and Patrick as a player [at Hazeltine in 2016] and Patrick played so well while he was in that role,” Furyk told the Golf Channel.
“Tiger’s been a little bit of a mentor to him in many ways. They get along very well so I thought it would be very good for Patrick to have Tiger as a partner, but I also thought Patrick would provide a lot for Tiger as well.
“I really wanted Patrick and Tiger to be partners. I wanted that relationship.
“There was always the idea that we could go Tiger and Justin Thomas, and Patrick and Jordan, but ultimately they knew going into the week, weeks in advance, they would start the Ryder Cup with Patrick and Tiger being partners. All four players knew who they would be playing with. In fact I had a messaging with Patrick a week out from the Ryder Cup.”