He’s not quite a top-five player just yet, but Patrick Reed has cemented a spot as one of golf’s rising stars. Here’s how things ended up at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, where Reed topped Jimmy Walker in a playoff for the win:
Leaderboard: Patrick Reed (-21, won on first extra hole), Jimmy Walker (-21), Hideki Matsuyama (-20), Jason Day (-20), Russell Henley (-20)
What it means: Walker began the day with a share of the lead and appeared on cruise control at the halfway point, but a stumble down the stretch combined with a rally from Reed led to a playoff. After a poor approach from Walker on the first extra hole, Reed calmly rolled in a 19-foot birdie putt for the win – his fourth PGA Tour victory since August 2013, joining Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia as the only players with that many wins before age 25 in the last 20 years.
Round of the day: Day began the final round seven shots off the pace, but he gave the leaders quite the scare with an 11-under 62 that tied the course record. The Aussie birdied four in a row on Nos. 5-8 then caught fire on the back nine, with six birdies in a seven-hole stretch from Nos. 10-16 before a final circle on the home hole.
Best of the rest: Day wasn’t the only player to earn a piece of the course record, as Chris Kirk also shot an 11-under 62. Kirk began the day in last place but, playing by himself, notched 11 birdies on the Plantation Course without dropping a shot to move all the way up into a share of 14th place.
Biggest disappointment: While Reed’s rally was impressive, this tournament was Walker’s to lose and he did just that. A poor iron off the tee led to a bogey on the short 14th hole, then Walker got two cracks at the easy par-5 18th – once in regulation, once in the playoff. He failed to make a birdie either time, squandering the last of what once was a three-shot lead in the process.
Shot of the day: Reed was coming off a birdie on No. 15 when he hit a wedge from 83 yards to the short par-4 16th. The approach landed just past the hole, spun back and dropped for an unexpected eagle that took Reed to 6 under on his round and gave him a share of the lead.
Quote of the day: “The confidence level is really high.” – Reed
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