Recent Cadillac champion Patrick Reed says he’d love to one day play Augusta National bare feet.
The 23-year old Texas-born Reed will be making his Masters debut next month after having won twice this year including last fortnight’s one shot victory at Trump Doral.
And it prompted Reed being asked ahead of this week’s $US 6.2m Arnold Palmer Invitational whether he would play the Masters in bare feet given he played nine holes of this year’s AT & T National Pro-Am without his golf shoes and socks.
Texas-born Patrick Reed and the youngest-ever winner of a WGC says he would love to play Augusta National bare feet. (Photo – Fran Cafrrey/www.golffile.ie)
“No, not while preparing for the event or playing,” he smiled.
“I only played nine holes at Pebble Beach bare feet, because I had such bad blisters at the Callaway Challenge that I literally couldn’t wear my shoes.
“Hopefully I can use that excuse one time at Augusta when I’m playing for fun, so I can take my shoes off before I even get there.”
And the current World No. 20 ranked Reed talked also of warming to the notion of being known as the ‘Ian Poulter’ of the PGA Tour given his confident-sounding comments after winning at Doral that he considered himself good enough to make him top-five in the world.
“It makes me feel good to be christened as ‘America’s Ian Poulter’,” said Reed.
“Ian Poulter is a great golfer. I mean I love his personality, love his outfits and what he’s done on the Ryder Cup team and just that determination and the look he has.
“People have been calling him ‘Angry Bird’, because his eyes have been bulging out of his head when he made those putts at Medinah.
“And he just seems when it really matters, he seems to click and strive. He just seems when it really matters, something clicks and I would love to have that and hopefully will be able to.”
However Reed does share something with present World No. 18 ranked Poulter in that both players are currently lying fourth on their respective Team points table.
“I always thought I had a chance to play on the Ryder Cup,” he said.
“But then this year is really the only time it has come to mind when after my first win this year I was 13th on the points table and after my second win I’m suddenly fourth.
“If I can continue playing really well, get some more top-10s then I could sneak in there.”
