Many golfers can remember a season where
everything seemed to come together, putts rolling
right, drives that can't seem to miss the fairway, big
tournament victories. For Georgia's Patrick Reed,
that may be a bit more difficult. See, until 2008 (or
maybe 2007) his best season may have come when
he was only 10-years-old.
Reed, an 18-year-old incoming freshman at the
University of Georgia, accomplished in 2000 a feat
that few golfers of any rank can claim, a double-
eagle at the Dominion Country Club in San Antonio.
He also won the National Drive, Chip and Putt
Championship that year, making it quite a year to
remember, along with the trials and tribulations of
fourth grade.
There would be plenty more success for Reed, who
grew up in Baton Rouge and moved to Augusta after
finishing high school.
He was a three-time AJGA Rolex All-American as a
junior golfer, and twice led his University High squad
to the state championship. In 2007 he was named
the Louisiana High School Player of the Year.
But Reed entered the national scene in 2007 when he
was the runner-up in three major events, the
Cardinal Amateur, Terra Cotta Invitational and St.
Augustine Amateur, eventually finishing 38th in the
amateurgolf.com - Bridgestone Golf Player Rankings.
He broke out even further in 2008 by making the
semi-finals of the U.S. Amateur at Pinehurst, before
falling to eventual champ Danny Lee of New Zealand.
Reed twice went to extra holes in his run to the
semis (including a 23 hole marathon with Brandon
Detweiler we captured on film here ).
In an interesting twist, Reed got an assist from
Nevada golf legend Brady Exber in his semifinal
match, two days after eliminating the 52-year-old
from match play. Reed's father had been on his bag
all week, but had to call it a tournament after his
fifth day of caddying due to blisters. Exber hopped in
and took over for the final three holes.
"I love having my dad on the bag (...) if it wasn't for
the blisters he would have been there all the way
through 16," said Reed. "I didn't want him to force it,
so luckily Brady, great guy, great gentleman,
actually offered to help us out.
"He offered to come caddy for me for the last couple
holes and he was itching to get on that bag."
With Reed attending the University of Georgia next
year (joining with fellow U.S. Am semifinalist and
Porter Cup winner Adam Mitchell) he will suit up with
a Bulldogs squad that finished 8th in the country last
year and returns four All-Americans, we'd say the
best is yet to come for Reed.
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Northern California