Reed, Laird share Barclays lead by 1
FARMINGDALE, N.Y. — Patrick Reed didn’t break anything Thursday except par.
Two days after Reed broke the gavel during the ceremonial closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange, the American kept a clean card and shot 5-under-par 66 to share the first-round lead with Martin Laird at The Barclays.
Reed was dressed in a blue blazer with an American tie when he was asked to bang the gavel three times at the stock exchange closing Tuesday. On the third hit, the top of the gavel flew off into the crowd, and Reed later joked about it on Twitter.
“They told me to give it 3 good hits, so I did!” he wrote.
He was much better with a golf club in hand at Bethpage Black, running off three birdies and an eagle on the front nine to close his 66.
The start of the FedEx Cup playoffs, with a $10 million bonus waiting at the end, was more about a cup that doesn’t pay a dime. A dozen or so Americans are still in the mix to make the Ryder Cup team. Qualifying ends after this week for the top eight, then Davis Love III has four captain’s picks over the next month.
Reed is winless this year and No. 8 in the Ryder Cup standings.
“Of course it’s on my mind,” Reed said. “But really at the end of the day, it’s just trying to get better and play this tournament. Because if I play well, that means those other guys are going to have to play even better to try to catch me.”
Reed and Laird, who Patrick Reed, who’s hoping to earn a berth on the U.S. Ryder Cup team, shot a 5-under-par 66 on Thursday in the first round to tie for the lead with Martin Laird at The Barclays. also played bogey-free, were one shot ahead of three other Ryder Cup hopefuls — Rickie Fowler, Kevin Chappell and J.B. Holmes, whose 67 was the best score among those who played in stronger wind in the afternoon. Defending champion Jason Day, the No. 1 seed in the playoffs, was among those at 68.
The Barclays is the start of a four-tournament series in which the field size shrinks until 30 qualify for the finale at the Tour Championship.
U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson, the No. 2 seed in the FedEx Cup, recovered from a bogeybogey start to post a 70, and Adam Scott (No. 3) shot 69.
Jordan Spieth played for the first time since the PGA Championship and didn’t show much rust as he made three birdies in seven holes. But the wind picked up and when the Texan struggled to find fairways, he started dropping shots. Spieth wound up with a 71.
“It’s up there in the top few toughest courses I’ve ever played,” Spieth said.