By now, you might have come to the conclusion that Patrick Reed isn’t the most popular player among his peers. According to another PGA Tour pro who attended the same college as Reed, it’s been that way for quite a while.
Kevin Kisner played college golf at Georgia, where Reed started his collegiate career before being kicked off the team and transferring to Augusta State.
“They all hate him—any guys that were on the team with him [at Georgia] hate him and that’s the same way at Augusta,” Kisner, who was teammates with Reed on the victorious 2016 Presidents’ Cup team, told Golf Digest. It’s worth noting that Kisner and Reed did not overlap at Georgia. “I don’t know that they’d piss on him if he was on fire, to tell you the truth.”
It’s also worth noting that none of Reed’s actual teammates—PGA Tour pros Brian Harman, Harris English, Russell Henley and others—confirmed Kisner’s suggestion to Golf Digest. And a number of people, including Rory McIlroy and Reed’s coach at Augusta State, said Reed is more misunderstood than anything.
Still, it’s jarring to hear someone of Kisner’s stature and proximity to Reed say such damning things.
Reed has been a hotrod for controversy since he broke onto the scene by becoming the youngest player to win a World Golf Championship, and then immediately proclaiming himself a “top-five” player. After winning this year’s Masters, his estrangement from his family became a major story, and one which he has declined to comment on repeatedly.
It reached a new level at this year’s Ryder Cup. Shortly after Team Europe put the finishing touches on its 17.5-10.5 routing of Team USA, Reed told the New York Times that he was “blindsided” by not being paired with Jordan Spieth, and that “the issue’s obviously Jordan not wanting to play with me.” Those comments prompted an anonymous member of Team USA to tell the New York Post that Reed is “so full of s—,” and both captain Jim Furyk and Justin Thomas said Reed was made aware of his pairing weeks before the Ryder Cup.
Instead of displaying any contrition since then, Reed has doubled down. When asked if he still considers himself “Captain America,” despite going 1-2 at Le Golf National, Reed said he does and pointed to his perfect singles record. He also criticized Furyk’s communication techniques and reiterated his disagreement with Furyk’s decision to sit him twice during the matches.
Let’s also not forget the time Reed compalined about free tickets to a Red Sox game.
It’s going to be fascinating to see how Reed’s Ryder Cup comments and his overall persona affect his participation in team events in the future. The Presidents’ Cup is in December, and Reed would figure to be a part of the team captained by Tiger Woods. Who he partners with is another story entirely.
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