Spring’s Reed goes low in red, white and blue

ERIN, Wis. — Patrick Reed has always been at his best when he has been playing for his country. Playing for his country’s championship suited the Texas native quite well, too, on Saturday.

One of America’s top Ryder Cup players drenched himself in red, white and blue — including the pants with the “USA” logo that he wore at Hazeltine last year — then plowed his way through Erin Hills over the third round of the U.S. Open.

The Spring resident shot 7-under 65 to finish at 8 under. It would have been the round of the day had Justin Thomas not shot 63, matching the best number ever posted at a major, to take the lead at 11 under.

The 26-year-old Reed, who has posted six wins and earned seven points for the United States over the last two Ryder Cups, has not been able to find the same success at the majors. He has never had a top-10 finish.

He is in the mix now, in large part, he thinks, because he didn’t press too hard.

“My first two years, every time I got to the majors, I worked too hard Monday through Wednesday, and by Saturday, I was tired,” he said. “And then, also, I was living and dying by every golf shot, every putt and everything. Coming into this year, I was just like, ‘It’s another golf tournament. Show up. Do what you do on a normal event and just play golf.’”

But if he was trying to be low-key, it certainly didn’t show — either by how he played or what he wore.

He said his wife, Justine, his mother-in-law and sister-in-law are his wardrobe consultants for the week, and they chose red, white and blue for the national championship. of golf’s most challenging tournaments.

“For the most part, I was pretty happy with the way I played today,” Scheffler said. “You know I had the hiccup on 18, but that’s what happens on a U.S. Open golf course. You put yourself out of position and lose focus and that’s what it gets you.”

Scheffler and Champ are good friends, having played together during a couple of youth tournaments. Scheffler plays for the University of Texas, and Champ at Texas A&M, but the competition for low amateur is a friendly one for the rising seniors.

Champ was 4 under, two shots up on Scheffler.

“Obviously, I want to be low am,” Champ said. “Me and Scottie are great buddies. I’m just going to play my game and at the end of the day whatever the score is it’s going to be. If I come out on top, obviously that would be fabulous. But if Scottie can pull a good round and end up beating me, good for him, too.”

The 22-year-old Champ had two bogeys and a double bogey in the first seven holes. He righted himself with four birdies early on the back nine, but never could get back to even par for the day.

“The pressure I dealt with this morning, tomorrow, I honestly probably won’t feel at all,” he said. “I’ll feel some pressure, but I think I just learned how to handle it properly. Could have done it a little sooner.”