Patrick Reed has gone from shushing at opposing crowds to shoveling at them.
During Friday’s four-ball session at the Presidents Cup, Reed resorted to this new motion after being heckled during a birdie putt on the 11th hole. Captain America turned toward the direction where someone had shouted “Miss!” after he stroked the putt, motioned that he could hear it, and then took a couple exaggerated digs—a clear reference to the two-stroke penalty he received for improving his lie in a bunker at last week’s Hero World Challenge. Check it out:
Normally, a PGA Tour player taunting the crowd by bringing up his own infraction would be a stunning development. But this is Patrick Reed. And what took place in the Bahamas has been at the forefront in Australia all week.
Reed has heard about his penalty from opposing fans—and players—since arriving at Royal Melbourne. On Thursday, a report said he even had a “love tap” with Cameron Smith, purposely brushing shoulders with the Aussie who has been most critical of him in between holes.
Even with the birdie, Reed and partner Webb Simpson still trailed 2 down in their match against Abraham Ancer and Marc Leishman. And if he hoped to fire up the American side with his antics, it didn’t work. He and Simpson lost two of the next three holes.
RELATED: The Patrick Reed-Cameron Smith “love tap” that cameras didn’t pick up