After proudly declaring his allegiance to the Stars and Stripes on Wednesday, Texan Patrick Reed now has doubts if he will represent the USA at next month’s OIympic Games in Rio.
Reed got a text message from his wife, Justine at 4am Scottish time to say US Open winner Dustin Johnson had withdrawn from the four-man American side.
It meant Reed as the first reserve would take Johnson’s place and joining compatriots Rickie Fowler, Bubba Watson and Jordan Spieth but then there is also doubt over Spieth’s showing in Brazil and the double Major should withdraw then it is Matt Kuchar who is first reserve.
However after posting a third round 67 to move to four under in the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open Reed wasn’t so sure after Wednesday’s strong comments if he will if fact tee-up on August 10th.
Patrick Reed meets the media after shooting a round of 67 on day three of the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open.
“The first thing I knew about DJ withdrawing was Justine sending me a text about 4am this morning,” said Reed.
“So I wouldn’t really say I have doubts. It’s just something that I need to weigh and talk to Justine and talk to everybody about — because my phone was blowing up at 3:30, 4:00am this morning.
“I didn’t know what was going on. When the phone starts blowing up that time in the hour, I’m kind of sitting there thinking, all right, what’s going on at home, did something happen.
“The news to me was DJ withdrew, and obviously everyone has to respect that decision with what’s going around. We have to weigh our options and make the right decision.
Qn: So in principle, you’re going to be there?
PATRICK REED: As far as I know, I’m going to go and play. But at the end of the day, I need to go and talk to the whole family and talk to my team and make sure it’s the right decision.
Q. How much can a responsibility to golf and a responsibility going, does that weigh in your mind at all, that pulling out, that it might damage golf in the Olympics, does that bother you?
PATRICK REED: If there were not any question marks, I would say it would put a hit on golf. But there’s a lot of question marks being the first year it’s back in the Olympics, and with those question marks, I don’t feel like it’s going to hurt the game, and I really feel like the only thing it can do is help. But at the end of the day, any time you can play for your country, I know all these guys want to go and play.
Q. Being a young father yourself, can you sympathise with DJ not going?
PATRICK REED: For sure. Like I said, all the guys have withdrawn and decided not to play, they are all for good reasons. It’s not like they are just pulling out and saying, oh, well, you know, I just don’t feel like playing that week. That’s far from the truth. There’s a lot of good reasons. That’s why I feel like whoever it is or whatever country, they have to respect that decision from their players.
