Reed closes book on cheat claim with win
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American Patrick Reed celebrating his WGC-Mexico Championship win. He birdied three of the last four holes to edge out compatriot Bryson DeChambeau.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
MEXICO CITY • Patrick Reed's week began on a sour note with Brooks Koepka stoking the embers of a cheating allegation against him, but the Texan ended it in a blaze of glory with victory at the WGC-Mexico Championship on Sunday.
The 2018 Masters champion may never be able to fully restore his reputation after video images showed him improving his lie in a sandy waste area at the Hero World Challenge tournament in December, but he proved in Mexico that he can roll with the punches and rise to the challenge.
While Reed said at the time his error in the Bahamas was inadvertent, Koepka, who skipped the Mexico City event, told a golf podcast last week that his American Ryder and Presidents Cup teammate knew exactly what he was doing.
"You know where your club is," the four-time Major champion told SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio. "I took three months off and I can promise you, I know if I touch sand.
"If you look at the video, obviously, he grazes the sand twice and then he still chops down on it."
But such comments are like water off a duck's back for Reed.
"Coming into this week, I knew all I needed to do was block out all the noise, no matter what it was," he told reporters after carding a final round of four-under 67, including birdies at the 15th, 16th and 17th to come through in the clutch.
That gave him a total of 18-under 266 for a one-stroke victory over compatriot Bryson DeChambeau (65) at Club de Golf Chapultepec for his eighth PGA Tour win. It was also his second victory at a World Golf Championships event - his first came in 2014 at Doral, Florida.
"I feel I've been able to do that well throughout my entire career, once I get inside the ropes, I do what I do well, and that's play golf," said the 29-year-old, who rose to No. 8 in the world rankings after his triumph. "I'm used to it. At the end of the day, all I can control is me. I feel like I've been growing as a person and a golfer."
On closing out the win despite a bogey on the par-four 18th, Reed said: "It's very rewarding... The last hole was ugly, but it was what I needed to get the job done."
Asked how he would handle his next encounter with the outspoken Koepka, he said: "I put the ball in the ground and hit my next shot."
Spaniard Jon Rahm (67), who could have become world No. 1 with a victory, and South African Erik van Rooyen (70) were three shots back in a tie for third, while top-ranked Rory McIlroy (68) finished four shots behind.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
