Pebble Beach, CA …
Ryder Cup winning hero Patrick Reed has thrown down the gauntlet to Rory McIlroy seeking a repeat of their Hazeltine showdown possibly at this year’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Open.
Reed has never contested an Irish Open but the current World No. 10 is reaching out to McIlroy to try and get square from July 6th to 9th at Portstewart.
The very affable Texan is considering adding the Dubai Duty Free sponsored event to his schedule if McIlroy, as tournament host, will have him.
”Rory hasn’t yet twisted my arm to play in the Irish Open but then I am going to talk to him when the opportunity arises and see if we can work out something”, said Reed on the eve of this week’s AT & T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in rain-drenched California.
”So I’ll talk to him and I will discuss it with my management team and see what we can work out as it would be fun to play an Irish Open and something I’ve never done before”.
Eight days after Padraig Harrington captured last October’s Portugal Masters Reed was stripped of European Tour membership given he had contested just one ’regular’ Tour event and four less than the minimum of five.
But then in a bizarre twist European Tour CEO Keith Pelley waved his magic wand and declared on November 14th that Reed would remain a member of the European Tour, and in a move no doubt realising the crowd appeal of the Texan.
And Reed gold-plated his reputation for close to four hours last October when he and McIlory traded blows in one of the most dramatic yet very sportsmanlike Sunday Singles showdown ever seen at a Ryder Cup.
McIlroy led 1up after four but then things then got wild when Reed birdied four holes in succession from the fifth.
And if there was a defining moment it was McIlroy burying a 40-footer at eight and then putting his hands to both ears and clearly mouthing ’I can’t hear you’ but only for Reed to respond in sinking a 25-foot half and turning to McIlroy and pointing the finger if to say ’Whatever you can, I also can do’, and with McIlroy simply smiling as he turned to head to the ninth.
The pair had spent the weekend carrying the weight of a nation and a continent on their shoulders.
But as it turned out their match was all square heading down last and with each landing their approach shots to 10-feet but then Reed never gave McIlroy a chance in rolling in his 1up winning putt.
”I had that issue with my European Tour membership at the end of last year regarding playing my five events so I just have to work out my schedule what will be those five events,” said Reed.
”I’m likely to contest the BMW PGA Championship in May so it works out that I add the Irish Open to my schedule then I’d love to again be in a situation to tackle Rory.”
Three Irish headed by Padraig Harrington, Shane Lowry and Seamus Power will tee-up on in the AT & T Pro-Am and with the famed Pebble Beach as one of three host courses.
But then it rained steadily on Tuesday and in patches on Wednesday to dampen the practice of most and with rain forecast to continue for the next two days.
Harrington in again partnering Dermot Desmond in the pro-amateur format and with Desmond, making his 18th appearance, confident he and the three-time Major Champion can do well despite Harrington continuing to carry a pinched nerve in his shoulder.
”There’s no need to worry about his shoulder, as I’ll get him sorted out,” said Desmond.
Lowry’s partner is historic car collector, Gerry McManus and younger brother of J P McManus while Power, and contesting the event for a first time, is partnered by 51-year old San Francisco businessman, James Farrell.
