THE MANY SIDES OF PATRICK REED

THE ENIGMATIC STAR CONFRONTS HIS IMAGE AND HIS CRITICS

- MAX ADLER

Patrick Reed has a beautiful young family, a green jacket, nine wins and has represented the United States seven times at the Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup and Olympics. At age 30, it’s the foundation of what could become a Hall of Fame career. But how brightly these accomplishments would otherwise shine has been dimmed by various incidents. At this point, Reed has said all he cares to about allegations from his college days. His estrangement from his parents—who live in Augusta, Ga., of all places—has been reported. The same nosiness that draws people to tabloids might cause musings, but the only clear fact is that real pain exists, which Reed isn’t ready to talk about publicly. The other real pain belongs to his wife, Justine, who has “cried so many times behind my sunglasses” hearing spectators shout invectives toward her husband. Golf Digest visited with the Reeds at Coral Creek Club in Placida, Fla., where they were recently invited to join and paid the full initiation fee. “We’ve found a lot of happiness and solace here,” Justine says of their family, which includes daughter, Windsor-Wells, 6, and son, Barrett, 3. (The members and staff had nothing but good things to say about the Reeds.) This was our conversation with Patrick, edited for concision and clarity.

Your ability on the course is plain to see, but the golf world wants to know the man. Where should we start?