“We’ve been having some really good showings” - Patrick Reed opens up about LIV golfers competing in the majors ahead of US Open
Patrick Reed feels that the reason he and a few other LIV-associated golfers are doing well at the Masters is that they play less golf and are fresher upon arriving at the Majors.
Reed, who is a 2018 Masters champion, had a really good showing at the majors this season. In the first major of 2023, the Masters, he finished T4, followed by a T18 finish at the PGA Championship last month.
While speaking to Garrett Johnston on the "Beyond the Clubhouse" podcast, Reed talked about the advantages of playing on the less packed LIV schedule.
He said:
"I think the vibe's just been kind of what all of us have expected as players. You know, we all know out here, part of LIV, that we're all the same golfers, we've always been.
"We just decided to play somewhere else. And because of that we get to Majors, I feel like we're more rested, ready to go, and a little bit more fine-tuned because of that.
"We’ve been having some really good showings, as a lot of us have been part of LIV. Because we come in, I feel fresh and ready to go, and really, you know, [I have] something to prove and something to go out there and play for."
The Saudi-backed circuit golfers haven't played too many 72-hole events since their defection. Experts were predicting that they wouldn't succeed at the majors, but they have proved everyone wrong so far. The 2023 Masters had three players from LIV in the top five.
Brooks Koepka has been phenomenal in the two majors so far. After a joint second-place finish at Augusta National, he claimed his fifth career major at the PGA Championship.
Veteran Phil Mickelson finished T2 at the Masters, while Cameron Smith had a top-10 finish at the PGA Championship.
With the US Open 2023 starting this week, we can't keep the LIV-associated players off the favorite list. Koepka has won the US Open twice, and he will be one of the favorites to win the tournament again.
What's next for Patrick Reed?
Patrick Reed will next be seen competing at the US Open 2023 which begins on Thursday, June 15, at the North Course at Los Angeles Country Club.
The 30-year-old golfer hasn't been really great at the US Open, as he has placed in the top 10 just once in nine appearances at the event. His best finish at the US Open came in 2018 when he ended at T4. In 2022, he finished at T49.
The only major he has won is the 2018 Masters, which he claimed by beating Rickie Fowler by a single-stroke margin.
This year, Reed has been in good form in the majors. With T4 and T18 finishes at the Masters and PGA Championship, respectively, he will be hoping to keep up the good performance at the third major of the season too.