USA Ryder Cup winning hero Patrick Reed is in danger of being stripped of European Tour membership and that will indeed please England’s Graeme Storm.
The 26-year old Texan-born Reed joined the European Tour at the start of last season and contested the then mandatory 13 events to retain membership.
However, the Tour changed the eligibility criteria for the 2016 season so much so players needed to play just five ‘regular’ events outside of the four Majors and four WGC events.
Reed has contested 10 European Tour counting events this year but with just three – the Scottish Open, the Rio Olympic Games and the recent Ryder Cup – counting towards his mandatory five.
The American was due to contest this week’s Turkish Airlines Open but joined other Ryder Cup stars including World No. 2 Rory McIlroy along with Open Champion Henrik Stenson, the Spanish duo of Sergio Garcia and Rafa Cabrera-Bello plus the England pair of Chris Wood and Matthew Fitzpatrick in electing not the travel to troubled Turkey.
Patrick Reed breaks two shots clear of his rivals on day two of the Barclays. (Photo – www.pgatour.com)
And as Reed has not entered next week’s Nedbank Challenge in South Africa, and the second of the three-event Final Series, it will be formality he loses his European Tour card.
That will indeed delight the England-born Storm who lost his European Tour by just Euro 100 in finishing 112th on the Race to Dubai, and one place outside of retaining full membership for a 12th straight season.
Storm, winner of the 2007 French Open, went into the recent Portugal Masters, and his final event of the season, inside the cut-off mark of 111th but with a 72nd hole bogey costing him a share of 17th place and a cheque for Euro 24,960 compared to Euro 20,800 he earned a shot back in being tied 22nd.
It prompted good friend Justin Rose at the time to tweet: “Gutted for my mate @stormygraeme but he’ll be back on the @EuropeanTour very soon.”
Little did the Olympic Games gold medal winning Rose know just how soon.
Reed’s choice in not contesting the mandatory five events is somewhat puzzling.
The San Antonio golfer recently captured a fifth PGA Tour title in winning the Barclays Championship and the opening event of this year’s FedEx Cup Play-Off Series and also just a matter of weeks prior to the Ryder Cup.
Reed is the only American who contested the recent Ryder Cup who enjoys both PGA Tour and European Tour membership, and he spoke at the end of last year of his delight in spending more time playing golf in Europe.
“It’s very different from the US because over there everyone has their families,” he said.
“Over here in Europe, the guys are always hanging out together and having a good time, going for dinner together. There’s a real sense of camaraderie and a great vibe.
“It’s easy to see where that team spirit comes from in the Ryder Cup.”
