Reed’s Global Presence Speaks Volumes For Growing The Ancient Game, So Where’s Scottie?

9 months ago by Comments Off on Reed’s Global Presence Speaks Volumes For Growing The Ancient Game, So Where’s Scottie?

Masters champion Patrick Reed along with fellow American and former PGA Championship winning Jimmy Walker’s presence these past three weeks on the DP World Tour has been a great lift for growing golf in the Middle East.

Also, not forgetting Europe’s own three-time major-winning Padraig Harrington who has also teed-up in Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah and now Bahrain.

The Texas duo of Reed and Walker are in their own way continuing a similar trend set by Tiger Woods at the height of his career, who travelled enormously outside of his native United States to tournaments around the globe.

Of course ‘TW’ was paid mind-boggling sums to tee-up in events staged in such countries as Australia, New Zealand, Dubai, Thailand, Turkey, China and Japan.

You could very well argue the same with Reed and Walker though Reed, and even with a young family of his own, has definitely undertaken a lot of overseas travel these past few years and this on top of a global LIV Golf schedule.

Indeed, Reed contested a mixture of eight DP World Tour and Asian Tour events in 2024 including tournaments in Macau, Italy, Germany, Spain and in Scotland before heading to Hong Kong to become a first American winner of the prestigious tournament in 31-years while also remaining away from his home for a further two weeks to tee-up in Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

Despite the DP World Tour not being in a position to directly promote his presence due to Reed’s LIV attachement it has none the less meant a huge boost to local event organisers while it’s not been uncommon for Reed to host junior clinics as he did late last year in Riyadh.

I mentioned Scottie in the headline to this story and maybe Scheffler, as World No. 1 could do a bit more to get himself to overseas events and not just the Scottish or Open Championships.

And in checking Scheffler’s playing record since earning his PGA Tour card for the start of the 2019/20 wraparound PGA Tour season, he’s teed-up in just one non-PGA Tour sanctioned event outside of his ‘comfort zone’ and that being as the World No. 19 in the 2021 Scottish Open and the week prior to The Open at Royal St. Georges.

Scheffler first reached No. 1 in the world in capturing the 2022 Dell Match-Play Championship and in the ensuing near three-years the only non-Open Championship and ‘individual’ tournament he’s contested has been the Scottish Open.

Excuse my French but that’s pathetic for the game’s best.

Of course. he was in Versailles, France last year teeing-up and winning the 2024 Olympic Games Gold Medal.

Anyway, this article is not about Scheffler sitting back home on his millions but Reed, a player clearly not content to be doing the same but making the effort and this despite his eldest child now regularly asking dad how long he will be away from home.

He’s the only American, and also a DP World Tour Life Member, who has been doing this regularly since the formation of LIV Golf.

GolfByTourMiss was delighted to continue our great working relationship with Patrick earlier this month when catching-up with him in Dubai ahead of him teeing-up in the Hero Dubai Desert Classic.

Patrick Reed at last year’s PIF International in Saudi Arabia. Image: GolfByTourMiss

“I enjoyed playing a handful of events the end of last year on the Asian Tour, managing a great win at the Hong Kong Open, and now looking forward to be back here in the Middle East”, he said.

“It’s not easy as I was away from the family for five weeks there before Christmas and now I’m away again but saying that I’ve enjoyed playing and competing around the world.  It’s exciting visiting places like Italy and Germany, winning in Hong Kong as I did and then teeing-up in Qatar and going on to Saudi.

“It’s exciting to be help lifting the profile of golf and to see a younger generation at golf tournaments, and then helping them at clinics that have been arranged is all very rewarding.

“Now this year, I’m excited to be back here in Dubai while I’m hoping to play at Ras Al Khamiah.  I’m confirmed for Bahrain for a first time, so looking forward to that”.

At the time in speaking with the LIV Golf star Reed, and as he mentioned, was not into the Ras Al Khaimah Championship however his T10th finish in Dubai was good enough to secure the last place teeing-up at Al Hamra.

Now Reed has been speaking in Bahrain to our colleague at Gulf News along the same theme.

“Coming and playing over here means a lot,” said Reed after posting a second round after posting a bogey-free second round 67, moving to five-under and just inside the top-20.

“Especially in Bahrain as we having family over here, and because of that I wanted to come over, support and play. It’s my first time here and it’s been amazing.

“Playing events like this, it helps grow the game of golf by playing in different spots. I think that’s the biggest thing as you always expect guys to go and play the biggest events around the world, but at the same time, its every other event around the world that helps grow the game even more. Those events are important to go and play as well.

“For me, I love playing and being a worldwide player, so having the opportunity to come out to Bahrain means a lot. Hopefully we have a really good weekend and make it even more special.”

England’s Callum Tarren added a 67 to his opening 64 to move two clear of the field at 13-under-par.

Seasoned Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal, who contested the inaugural 2011 Tour event in Bahrain, holed out for an ace at the par-3 second hole in a score of 68 to be fourth at 10-under as the 41-year-old seeks a 10th Tour title.

He said: “I don’t try to entertain people, I try to have fun and when you have fun, you (often) entertain people”.

Larrazabal’s ace is the fourth of this new season among the DP World Tour members.

England’s Brandon Robinson-Thompson, who posted a course-record 61 on day one of the £STG 2.013m event, dropped three shots on day two in a 75 to share sixth place at eight-under.

 

 

 

 

 



Comments are closed.