Patrick Reed hacked his ball out of the hay, and perhaps the reactions of those near the scene best tell the story of what followed.
We’ll start with Reed. On Friday, he was playing the first round of the LIV Golf London event, his tee shot on the par-5 13th at Centurion Golf Club found the thick left rough, and he attempted a punch-out. His ball blasted out. It rocketed left.
And Reed? He drooped his shoulders. “Ooooh,” he said. For a few seconds, he held the position.
What about the fans? There were about 25 immediately to Reed’s left. Most were looking into their phones, recording the action. On contact, they turned forward. They then turned back.
Did that ball really come inches … from a man’s head?
Indeed.
So how did he respond? Rather calmly, despite the near calamity. He ducked. He took a few steps forward. He took a few steps back.
How did it all sound on the broadcast? We’ll use the comments from analysts David Feherty and Jerry Foltz said during a slow-motion replay.
Said Feherty: “Takes a mighty heave at it, but just gets turned over in the grass.”
Said Foltz: “Ohhhh.”
Said Feherty: “Straight over that man’s head. Just misses him.”
Said Feherty: “‘Oooooh.’ Patrick a little worried about that chap, as well as his ball.”
There was more.
With the man OK, and seven seconds after he hit, Reed said one word, which was audible to those around him and picked up by the broadcast’s mics.
“Fore.”
It drew laughter. Said Foltz on the broadcast: “Foltz: Even had the presence of mind to joke about it afterwards and yell, fore.”
From there, Reed chipped in for a par five on the hole, finished with a one-under 71, followed with a second-round 64, and he’ll start the final round on Sunday four strokes back of leader Cam Smith.
Said Feherty ahead of the chip-in: “Well, Patrick Reed, who nearly killed a man, has this for par.”
Said Foltz after the chip-in: “Ohhhh boy.”
Said Feherty: “Good stuff.”
And on Saturday, Reed had this exchange:
“Did you see the video from yesterday, the shot that went left?“
He hadn’t.
“You cringed.“
“You’re talking about that par-5,” Reed said. “I didn’t see it on video; I watched it in person. I sat there like ooh, because — I was aiming way right and just trying to lay up and knew that it could grab the hosel, and I was kind of playing for it if it does grab it to still be OK. I’ve never seen the hosel get grabbed so hard in my life. That thing came out low left like that, and I was worried.
“I was worried that it was just going to take the guy’s head right off, and thank God he had fast reflexes because he ducked just in time.”
