Reed nearing victory, automatic Ryder bid
Patrick Reed’s place in the Ryder Cup is looking better with each round at The Barclays, and so are his prospects of winning.
Even with a careless finish Friday at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, N.Y., Reed rode a fast start to a 3-under 68 and a two-shot lead over Emiliano Grillo and Rickie Fowler going into the weekend of the opening FedEx Cup playoff event.
The Barclays is the final tournament for Americans to earn one of the eight automatic spots on the Ryder Cup team. Reed, who has gone 55 tournaments worldwide since his most recent victory, came into the week at No. 8.
At the moment, that’s no longer a concern.
“Really, I’m going into this week trying to win a golf tournament,” Reed said. “If I take care of me and do what I need to do this week, then Ryder Cup will take care of itself. So I’m not going into this week looking at it as, ‘Oh, I need to do this for the Ryder Cup.’ I’m going in this to think, ‘All right, I need to go win a golf tournament.’”
Reed was at 8-under 134.
Fowler most likely needs third place alone to have any chance of qualifying for the Ryder Cup, and he has done his part. He played bogey-free in the sweltering heat, though still missing plenty of birdie chances. Par is never bad on the Black Course, however, and Fowler shot a 69.
He has dropped only one shot all week, missing a 4foot par putt Thursday that spun out of the back of the cup.
“Any time you can go bogey-free out here at this place, it’s good golf,” Fowler said. “Feel very good about my ball-striking and tee-togreen right now. See if we can get some more putts to go in.”
Grillo also had a 69, opening with a double bogey and finishing with a bogey.
Ryan Moore (68) was three shots behind, while defending champion Jason Day (70) and Jordan Spieth (67) were four back.
Day tied for the lead early in the round when he ran off four consecutive birdies on the easier front nine. But his tee shots got wild, he finished some swings with only one hand on the club, and he dropped four shots around the turn.
“I’m really looking forward to the weekend,” Day said. “I feel like I’m really close.”
Spieth missed the cut at The Barclays a year ago, and he started off Friday in that direction when his approach to the tough 10th buried in the lip of a deep bunker. Spieth had to play away from the green and made double bogey.
And then he decided to start over. His caddie, Michael Greller, told him to forget the hole ever happened and try to get those two shots back before making the turn. He eventually did, and then a lot more.
Spieth played shot 31 on the front nine.
Other tournaments
Made in Denmark: Wales’ Bradley Dredge shot a 5-under 66 in windy conditions to take a three-stroke lead in Farsoe. Dredge had a 13-under 129 total at Himmerland after opening with a 63. Sweden’s Joakim Lagergren was second after a 70.
Boeing Classic: Reigning U.S. Senior Open champion Gene Sauers eagled the par5 18th hole for a 7-under 65 and a share of the lead with Kirk Triplett in Snoqualmie, Wash.