Patrick Reed had a great 2018 season, and he followed it up with a strong performance in the Ryder Cup. However, his latest setback is more serious than a bum ankle.
Patrick Reed’s latest PGA and Ryder Cup setback is more serious than a bum ankle. Reed has been sidelined with an injury that will keep him out of the Ryder Cup, as well as the next two PGA tournaments.
Patrick Reed has been in the headlines for the second time in five days, this time due to health problems that are much more severe than the problematic ankle that forced him to miss the weekend PGA Tour event in New Jersey.
Patrick Reed, a PGA Tour veteran, is in a Houston hospital.
We’re all hoping for the best for @PReedGolf, who is now fighting double pneumonia at a Houston hospital. Justine was nice enough to provide us with an update, which I’d like to share here: pic.twitter.com/yZpJXwcpcS
August 23, 2021 — Amanda Balionis (@Amanda Balionis)
According to the Golf Channel, Reed has been receiving treatment at the Methodist Hospital in Houston since Friday after being diagnosed with double pneumonia. Reed withdrew from the past two PGA Tour tournaments due to a persistent ankle issue, according to sources. He updated his health and thanked well-wishers in a message published Monday.
“The good news is that my ankle is in excellent shape. I’ve been in the hospital with bilateral pneumonia, which is the terrible news,” Reed stated. “I’m on my way to recovery, and I’m excited to return once I’ve been approved by the doctors.”
CBS golf reporter Amanda Balionis claimed she exchanged text messages with Reed’s wife, Justine, during coverage of the weather-delayed Northern Trust in Jersey City, New Jersey, during which she described the situation as “quite frightening the past several days.” We don’t know when he’ll be able to walk again. I never rule him out, but I’m quite sure he won’t be able to compete in the BMW (this week). We’re simply taking each day as it comes.”
The PGA confirmed Reed’s withdrawal from the New Jersey tournament soon before his planned tee time on Thursday. They didn’t say why, although Reed has been having ankle problems. According to Todd Lewis of the Golf Channel, Reed flew to Houston on Wednesday. The infection, which may cause inflammation and scarring in the lungs, was discovered by doctors there.
Patrick Reed’s season is in danger for the rest of the year.
Patrick Reed hits a shot from the fifth tee at TPC Southwind during the FedEx St. Jude Invitational on Aug. 5, 2021, in Memphis. | Getty Images/Sam Greenwood
The hospitalization is just another setback for Reed, 31, who looked to be a shoe-in to make the Ryder Cup squad at one point. The 2018 Masters Tournament winner has battled with four missed cuts since winning the Farmers Insurance Classic at the end of January, and his late-season schedule may have worn him out.
The BMW Championship, which takes place this weekend in Maryland, is the last points tournament for deciding automatic Ryder Cup qualifiers for the United States. If Reed misses the BMW Championship, he may finish below the top 30 for the Tour Championship, putting him in danger of failing to qualify for the first time since 2014. Even if he qualifies, he may not be in good enough health to play.
The Ryder Cup, which takes place at the end of September, is a different story. Reed may yet be able to participate if he recovers from his sickness in a timely manner. Otherwise, the US team’s prospects versus the European team would be harmed.
The presence of the PGA veteran complicates the Ryder Cup scenario.
The top six players in the Ryder Cup points standings gain automatic invitations to the tournament in Wisconsin later this month. It’s why fans may sometimes see older PGA Tour players playing longer schedules than normal.
Reed played seven events in eight weeks, starting with the U.S. Open in mid-June, when he tied for 19th. Apart from a tie for 22nd at the Tokyo Olympics, when he was a late replacement for Bryson DeChambeau, his best result in that span was a tie for 22nd at the US Open.
The events of the previous weekend pushed Reed to tenth place in the points standings, with Daniel Berger and Patrick Cantlay following closely behind. With Reed missing this week, those two, along with Webb Simpson and Scottie Scheffler, may drop him to 14th in the final rankings.
Following the Tour Championship on Sept. 5, Steve Stricker will make a half-dozen captain’s selections. While placing seventh through 12th does not guarantee a spot in the Ryder Cup, Stricker would have to think twice about benching any of them in favor of veterans like Reed, who has competed in all three Ryder Cups.
Reed could still be a no-brainer – regardless of his points status – if Stricker thinks he needs a different mix of veterans, especially if Phil Mickelson is no longer in the picture. Over the following two weeks, though, Reed’s current medical condition raises fresh concerns.
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