Texas-born Patrick Reed has stormed to a maiden international succcess with his three-stroke triumph at the Link Hong Kong Open.
A day after becoming only the second player to post a 59 on the Asian Tour and the 34-year-old Reed is brilliantly back in the winner’s circle for a 10th time in his career and a first taste of success since capturing the 2021 Farmers Insurance Open on the PGA Tour.
As well, it is Reed’s first victory outside of the PGA Tour which is remarable for a player who in recent years has sought to travel more outside of the States including earlier this year when he put himself in contention at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic.
The 2018 Masters champion closed with a 66 to win by three shots at 22-under from New Zealand and defending champ Ben Campbell.
LONG OVERDUE ..
As its first ‘international’ for @PReedGolf @livgolf_league
Also a 10th since maiden @TheHKOpen in 1959 to
Great effort Patrick https://t.co/aBEnJ6IvzU
— Golf & Science News (@TOURMISS) November 24, 2024
“Nothing like coming to a place that I know pretty well and love the golf course,” said Reed who confirmed he will contest next week’s International Series Qatar and the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers, the week after.
“I love how it makes me think about golf shots and you have to be creative around this place. So, to be able to come out and play the way like I did on the weekend. I mean, it always helps shooting 59 yesterday, but the biggest thing, the hardest part, was today.”
“Kind of going out there and forgetting about the 59 and going out, even though I had a three-shot lead, to try to expand on that. And the goal was to go out there and make a couple birdies early quickly, get up on top, so then on the back nine I could just kind of hit fairways and middle of the greens.
Patrick Reed becomes the 10th American to proudly win the Link Hong Kong Open. Image – Asian Tour
“When I was able to birdie 13 there, then it just kind of got into really boring golf which led to two mistakes. But, you know, the last one, I was not ever going to take that on.”
Reed headed into the final day leading by three at 18-under and after birdieing four holes in succession from the third and then birdies at 12 and 13, it seemed he would walk away with the trophy.
However his progress was checked with bogeys at 15 and the last but still good enough to win by three, and two shots shy of Reed’s career winning margin of five strokes in capturing the Farmers Insurance Open.
Reed is also the first American-born player since 1995 to capture the coveted Hong Kong Open title and also the 10th American to do since the inaugural event in 1959.
