BLAINE, Minn. – Patrick Reed was in scoring after Saturday’s third round of the 3M Open when he got a message to call USA Golf executive Andy Levinson.
“It’s about the Olympics,” it read.
Reed made the call and learned from the other end that he would represent the U.S. in the men’s golf competition at the Summer Games in Tokyo after Bryson DeChambeau tested positive for COVID-19 and was forced to withdraw.
Per COVID protocols, Reed began testing Saturday night and needs to pass tests on Sunday and then at least 24 hours later on Monday to be able to play. Reed said he was flying home to Texas and will test there on Sunday and Monday.
If the two tests come up negative, he will fly from Houston to San Francisco on Tuesday morning and then fly from the Golden City to Tokyo, arriving Wednesday afternoon. Reed, the world No. 13 and 2018 Masters champion, would join No. 3 and reigning British Open champion Collin Morikawa, No. 4 Justin Thomas and No. 5 Xander Schauffele in representing the U.S.
Reed tied for 11th in the 2016 Rio Summer Games.
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“Anytime I can represent my country and go play for my country, I’m going to do it no matter what, no matter where it is, no matter what time zone or how I have to get there,” Reed said. “When they gave me the name Captain America, the fans did, it feels like an obligation and a duty of mine to go out and play for our country whenever I can and whenever I get the call.
“To be able to call myself not just an Olympian but a two-time Olympian is pretty sweet. I look forward to going over there and playing. I know things are going to be a little different this time than the first time we were at Rio where we were able to go and experience all the other venues and things like that, but to be able to go in and represent our country with a small group of guys and go out there and try to bring home gold is just an honor I can’t pass up.”
The first round begins Thursday in Japan on the East Course at Kasumigaseki Country Club in Saitama, about 35 miles northwest of downtown Tokyo. Reed said he won’t have time to play a practice round, but he doesn’t fear playing any course blind. Back in his Monday qualifying days, he was 6-for-6 in earning a spot in a PGA Tour event when seeing the qualifying course for the first time; he was 0-for-2 when he played a practice round at the Monday qualifying site.
“And these days with how good yardage books are and with how much we have to kind of figure things out on the fly as it is, I expect to go in there and play well and be able to manage the golf course and hit the golf shots,” said Reed, who will have his coach, Kevin Kirk, on the bag.
Reed, 30, who won his ninth PGA Tour title earlier this year in the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, finished at 6 under after an even-par 71 Sunday at TPC Twin Cities and finished in the middle of the pack at the 3M Open.
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