Reed delivers in Mexico

Embattled Patrick Reed reels off three consecutive late birdies to win.

Patrick Reed made it hard for anyone to question his moxie.

A week that began with Brooks Koepka saying he thought Reed cheated when he was penalized for swiping sand in the Bahamas ended with Reed delivering clutch moments down the stretch Sunday to win the World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship in Mexico City.

Then again, Reed always seems to be at his best when it feels as though the world is against him.

Two shots behind with four holes to play, Reed ran off three consecutive birdies to overtake a faltering Bryson DeChambeau, closing with a 4-under 67 for his second WGC title.

Reed made it interesting in the end with a wild tee shot into the trees on the 18th hole at Chapultepec Golf Club, forcing him to chip back to the fairway. He had to two-putt from 35 feet for the eighth victory of his PGA Tour career.

In a wild final round in which five players had a share of the lead — and four were tied heading for the back nine — DeChambeau appeared to seize control with five birdies in a six-hole stretch starting at No. 9.

Everyone around him faltered — Justin Thomas, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Erik van Rooyen — everyone but Reed, who played bogey-free until he only needed a bogey to win.

DeChambeau failed to birdie the par-5 15th, missed the green on the 16th with a pin in a bowl that made birdies accessible, and then threeputted from long range on the 17th. He shot 65.

Reed never flinched with so much going on around him, on and off the golf course.

He has yet to shake whispers on the tour and heckling from the gallery over the Hero World Challenge in December, when video caught him twice swiping away sand behind his ball in a waste area in the Bahamas. Reed accepted the two-shot penalty and said a different camera angle would have shown his club wasn’t as close to the ball as it looked.

Koepka became the strongest voice in an interview a week ago with SiriusXM in the Bay Area while he was previewing his title defense at the PGA Championship in May.

Viktor-y

Viktor Hovland won the Puerto Rico Open in Rio Grande to become the first Norwegian winner in PGA Tour history, chipping in for eagle on the par-5 15th and racing in a 30-footer for birdie on the par-5 18th for a one-stroke victory over Josh Teater (69). Hovland earned $540,000, a full tour exemption through the 2021-22 season and spots in the PGA Championship and The Players Championship. He won in his 17th start on the tour.