Much attention has been paid to U.S. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley’s looming conundrum about whether or not he should include himself as one of his picks to play at Bethpage Black. But Bradley has far bigger and more controversial decisions about which to worry.
Like Patrick Reed.
It’s easy to believe that Bradley has already made up his mind about Reed, considering the polarizing LIV golfer once dubbed “Captain America” was not even invited to a dinner of potential Team USA candidates in May near Philadelphia a week before the PGA Championship. Along with Bryson DeChambeau, Bradley did invite LIV’s Brooks Koepka to the informal gathering even though Koepka isn’t within five time zones of Reed in any measurable standards of current form.
So, long before Reed won his first LIV event in 41 starts – prevailing in a four-man playoff in Dallas two Sundays ago despite blowing a five-shot lead in regulation – he wasn’t exactly on the Ryder Cup radar. But that hasn’t stopped his (or LIV’s bots’) campaigning.
“It’s always on your mind,” Reed said in Dallas when asked about what he needs to do to become a captain’s pick. “Anytime I get to represent our country, it means a lot to me. For me personally, I’m always thinking about trying to make every team.
“Obviously being a part of LIV where we don’t get points, it’s an uphill battle, but really for me it’s focused on playing some great golf and having a chance. It’s really going to come down to the Open Championship, having a chance to win there. You have a really good showing and play well there, then you just never know.
“It is looking like no matter what, it’s going to rely on a pick unless I go ahead and win the Open. Really the only way I can focus on the Ryder Cup is that one week, go out and give all I have and have a chance to win.”
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