Defending Masters champion Patrick Reed has dealt with plenty of family drama over the course of his career, and while we don’t know exactly why things haven’t been worked out between Reed and his parents and sister, we do hope that eventually they will be able to figure things out.
This week at Augusta, Reed is apparently expecting his parents and sister in the crowd even if he doesn’t want them there.
In an interview with Karen Crouse at the New York Times, Reed said as much:
“I wouldn’t at all be surprised if they show up,” Reed said.
The Reeds live just six miles from Augusta National Golf Club but their son hasn’t stepped foot in their house since he married his wife Justine in 2012, a marriage that his parents advised against at the time because they believed he was too young.
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The interesting part of the story is that the Reeds appear to just want to watch their son and brother play golf. They don’t appear to have tried to make contact with him at tournaments in recent years or have bothered him in any way other than being just faces in the crowd. They aren’t out there yelling at him and heckling him and according to Danny Coulson, who directs the PGA Tour’s security, they are allowed to be there.
If Reed’s father wishes to watch golf, he is free to do so unless he does or says anything that would warrant his ejection.
That hasn’t been the case and in 2014 at the U.S. Open, his parents were thrown out of the event after they obtained passes from friends. Reed’s agent is the one who brought it to the attention of the USGA’s security officers at that time who said they saw Reed’s father Bill making “intimidating movements” towards Justine.
The Reeds also showed up at East Lake last year for the Tour Championship and Patrick didn’t know that they were in the crowd until he spotted them on the 17th hole. Reed’s play that day was not great, and afterwards he said, “I would have called for security to throw them out.”
Following that, Reed’s father Bill and sister Hannah made the trip to Paris for the Ryder Cup, where they apparently followed Patrick around and were monitored by people close to Patrick.
“Reed never saw them, he said, but members of his inner circle did, and they said they spent the afternoon tracking both Reed’s play and Bill and Hannah’s movements.”
This is clearly a very intense dynamic family situation for both parties, and it’s hard to imagine just how Reed or his parents feel. There is probably plenty of blame to be placed on both sides. Reed hasn’t introduced his two children to his parents and Reed’s parents are upset with the way they have been excluded from his life.
If Reed were to see his parents and sister in the crowd this year at Augusta, he said there’s nothing he can do about it.
What will I do?” Reed asked rhetorically. “What can I do? Nothing.”
“Nothing” is exactly what he should do if he happens to spot his parents and sister in the crowd.
Note: This is my opinion as a father who can only imagine how Bill Reed feels watching his son win the most prestigious golf tournament in the world in his backyard.