SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France – The last question at what had been a glum press conference was directed at Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed.
The two Americans were asked if they were surprised not to have gotten paired together at the Ryder Cup considering their record as a team. Spieth, and U.S. captain Jim Furyk, explained that by splitting the two they ended up with what they thought were two power pairings, with Spieth playing with Justin Thomas and Reed with Tiger Woods.
Reed was never given a chance to answer the question – that is until he was contacted late on Sunday by the New York Times, and it turns out he had plenty to say.
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“The issue’s obviously with Jordan not wanting to play with me,” Reed told the Times. “I don’t have any issue with Jordan. When it comes right down to it, I don’t care if I like the person I’m paired with or if the person likes me as long as it works and it sets up the team for success. He and I know how to make each other better. We know how to get the job done.”
Reed and Woods lost their Day 1 fourball match, and the player dubbed Captain America following his performance at the 2014 and ’16 Ryder Cups, was sat in the afternoon. After losing again with Woods on Saturday, Reed was benched for the final team session.
“For somebody as successful in the Ryder Cup as I am, I don’t think it’s smart to sit me twice,” Reed said.
Reed said he was surprised that Furyk didn’t alter his pairings after the Europeans took a 5-3 lead on Friday and described a “buddy system” decision-making process.
By contrast, Spieth explained to reporters that “we were totally involved with every decision that was made.” Reed was never given a chance to answer.
“I was looking at him like I was about to light the room up like Phil in ’14,” said Reed comparing his frustration to that of Phil Mickelson after the U.S. lost the ’14 matches.
Source: Internet
