Ahead of this week’s LIV Golf event at Maridoe Golf Club in Carrollton, Texas, Patrick Reed spoke about just how much it would mean to him to be on this year’s U.S. Ryder Cup team at Bethpage Black.
“Anytime I get to represent our country, it means a lot to me,” he said. “For me personally, I’m always thinking about trying to make every team. Obviously, being a part of LIV where we don’t get points, it’s an uphill battle, but really, for me, it’s focused on playing some great golf and having a chance.”
Though Reed won’t receive any Ryder Cup points for a LIV Golf win on Sunday, perhaps making a statement with his play was on his mind, because his opening-round 67 (-5) was good enough to share the first-round lead with 4Aces GC teammate Harold Varner III. Just behind them: Jon Rahm (-4) and Abe Ancer (-3).
Reed, who notched nine PGA Tour wins between 2013 and 2021, has a 7-3-2 career Ryder Cup record in three appearances. He has yet to win a LIV Golf title since joining the league in 2022. A win on Sunday would also mark Reed’s first in his home state of Texas since his junior golf days.
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“It would mean a lot, obviously, to win in your home state,” Reed said on Friday. “But really to me, honestly, it doesn’t matter where it is. Winning a golf tournament is winning a golf tournament. The adrenaline and that feeling of standing up on stage and hoisting that trophy is an amazing feeling. It doesn’t really matter where you’re at or anything like that.”
Reed’s round included five birdies and an eagle, while Varner’s included six birdies.
“It was awesome to finally see Harold kind of get a score out of the round where I felt like he should have been around,” Reed said. “I’ve played with him a lot this year where he goes out and you sit there and you start scratching your head, like how did you shoot that, because he’s hitting the ball great and just a couple putts here and there, burning edges rather than going in. Today to be able to see the putter make some putts and go in, it was good to see. He’s hitting it well enough this year to continue to compete, and today I feel like finally the score added up to how he should have been playing all year.”
Reed and Varner’s 4Aces GC, captained by Dustin Johnson, holds a six-shot lead over Bryson DeChambeau’s Crushers after Round 1. 4Aces GC is hoping for its first team victory since 2023.
Round 2 of LIV Golf Dallas begins at 1:05 p.m. ET on Saturday.
