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WGC CADILLAC CHAMPIONSHIPMarch 9, 2014Patrick ReedMIAMI, FLORIDA CHRIS REIMER: We'll get started. First of all, congratulations and welcome to our 2014 winner of the World Golf Championships ‑ Cadillac Championship here at Trump National Doral, Patrick Reed, the youngest winner of a World Golf Championship event. Just start by talking about three wins in your last 14 starts, just talk about where you've come over that time and then finally what it means to win an event of this magnitude. PATRICK REED: Yeah, well, first off, I have to, for me to have these three wins, I have to thank my whole team, my wife, for all she's done; Callaway for the amazing equipment and everything they have done; Perry Ellis for all the things that they have done, as well, finding the clothes that fit me correctly; and also for Tax Slayer who has been there since day one, as well as Lenox Advisories. They actually were here earlier this week and we had a great time with them. Just all those things that keep me loose and just kind of keep me going and being able to play some good golf. To come out here and play as well as I did, especially at my first World Golf Championships event, and to play the way I did with Tiger close to the lead and Hunter Mahan really close, Jason Dufner all those great guys that are Major winners who have been on Ryder Cup teams, who are just outstanding players, and you know, to go wire‑to‑wire in a field like this just means a lot. Q. Last night in your interview on NBC, you said you consider yourself a Top‑5 player. Clearly you have a lot of confidence and now you seem to have backed that up. But can you talk about how much confidence you have in your game? PATRICK REED: I have a lot of confidence in my game. It's one of those things that you build confident by how hard you work, and you know, I feel like I'm one of the hardest workers out here and it definitely shows; I have three wins in 14 starts, especially in a field like this, to go wire‑to‑wire. It's just one of those things that I feel like with how hard I've worked, I mean, I'm working my way up to become a Top‑5 player in the world. But the thing is, I just going to take a little time in the fact that I haven't been on the PGA TOUR for very long. Q. Can you take us through 18? Were you aware you had a two‑shot lead and just what you hit off the tee first? PATRICK REED: I was. You know, whenever I was on 16 green after I made par, I looked at the leaderboard and it showed that Donaldson just went to 4‑under through 17. And then it seemed like once I played 17, it seemed like he was on the hole for a while and I wasn't hearing any cheers or anything. So I asked a guy, what's Donaldson at, and said he had a 15‑footer for and he missed and so he made bogey. First thing, just hit 3‑iron to the right because I know if I hit 3‑iron right, that's not going to get into the trees. So I was playing for that right rough and laid up with 7‑iron, had 80 yards, hit a little wedge to the middle of the green and easy 2‑putt. Q. Considering you've had success, really, at every level along the way, high school, college, or semifinals, U.S. Amateur, do you think maybe your pedigree sort of proved before you did this that you were this kind of player and then maybe people shouldn't be surprised? PATRICK REED: Yeah, I believe so. And you know, my swing coach, Kevin Kirk, my agents, Mike Creasy and Kevin Kang, my wife, and my whole team behind me who is behind my scenes and all that kind of thing; they know how good I am and they believe I'm a top‑five player in the world. And I believe it, as well. You know, it's just shown that with how I've been playing to, have three wins in 14 starts, to do the Monday qualifiers the way I did that, and just all those things that we had to go through, it's just showing that we belong out here, as well as we belong to be in the conversation every week; that, you know, we'll contend at every tournament we step up at. Q. The red shirt, I know your previous two wins you wore a red shirt, do you always wear a red shirt in the final round? PATRICK REED: I do. Q. Why is that? PATRICK REED: Well, the best player ever to live when I was growing up wore black pants, a red shirt. I was growing up watching him, I always thought, you know, it would be cool to wear black and red come down Sunday. You know I did it when I was in juniors, I did it in amateur golf, and you know, it's worked. Obviously there's something behind it. Q. Has he protested with patent infringement or has he said anything to you? PATRICK REED: He hasn't. It's one of those things that I don't think he really has any white or black in his shirts; he just has solid red and black pants. It's one of those things that I've been comfortable wearing it and you know, obviously he's been comfortable wearing it; just happens to be that we both wear it on Sunday now. Q. Besides hard work, where does that confidence come from, there's got to be other reasons. You clearly have a strong belief system. PATRICK REED: Well, it comes from winning. The two wins before this event, and then being 54‑hole leader, wire‑to‑wire, win this event, doing all those things I've done in the Monday qualifiers; going 6‑0 match play against Peter Uihlein, Harris English‑‑ had Peter Uihlein twice, going against all these great players and winning and competing; and always being close to the lead, whether I closed it out or not as a junior; one of those things that just built up. When we got out here, especially in Q‑School when we were in 130‑something after two rounds and to shoot 18‑under the last four days to get in, all that just kind of builds up and you know that you can put four rounds together. It's just one of those things that it's just kind of, keep on going. Q. I think it's safe to say that your comments about feeling like you're a Top‑5 player in the world will have some traction on the PGA TOUR. What do you expect the reaction to be from your fellow players and do you care? PATRICK REED: Of course I care. It's always nice to get congratulations from other PGA TOUR players, especially a lot of the guys that are out here that are veterans, who have won a lot and all that kind of thing. I grew up watching those guys, and I was always watching them on Sunday coming down, winning events, and believing in myself and also dreaming about winning events. To do it three times and as fast as I have, it's one of those things that I can't wait to get back out and play, try to get my fourth. Also, just to see the guys and hang out. I mean, it's just a big family out here on the TOUR. We're all out here doing the same thing, traveling every week and trying to strive for the same goals. Q. Given your success and confidence, are you still in any way surprised, three wins the last 14 starts, beating the field you just beat; are you in any way surprised by that? And if so, or if not, why or why not? PATRICK REED: I wouldn't say I'm surprised about winning three times. Now, if you were going to tell me two years ago that‑‑ do you think you're going to win three times in 14 starts and win a World Golf Championships where you're going to lead wire‑to‑wire with Tiger Woods three shots back going into Sunday, I probably would have said, you know, odds are against me, but can I do it, maybe. To do what I did in the first time to beat Jordan Spieth in a playoff; the weather that week was‑‑ we were fighting weather. So you had that obstacle, as well with all the rain delays. We were able to get over that. Then to do what I did at Humana, to shoot three 63s and be able to coast on Sunday; and then now here, where I had a two‑shot lead over Dufner, Hunter Mahan and had Tiger Woods right behind them, it's just one of those things that I feel like I've had every situation that I've had to deal with coming down the stretch. It's one of those things that I'm just building experience and also building confidence that when I get in these kind of situations, I can close deals. Q. We asked a couple guys what they thought about the course design; what's the most challenging hole for you? PATRICK REED: Most challenging hole, I would say would be 16, I never hit that fairway. Every time I tried to lay up, I either laid up in the left bunker or I laid up in the right bunker, and the only time that I made the hole easy was I drove the green yesterday, and it's just one of those holes that I didn't see how it was last year. This was the first time I've ever seen Doral, and this golf course is awesome. You know, it's one of the best courses I've played. It's so pure, you have to hit every shot, and it's just one of those things that when the wind blows, it's very tough as it's showed. And even when the wind doesn't blow‑‑ these last two days the wind didn't really blow and there's only three guys under par. There's only three players under par. It's one of those courses that even when the conditions are easy, when the wind is not blowing at 75, 80 degrees, it still makes you think and those are the kind of golf courses that I love to play, that's for sure, and it's one of those things that Trump and his whole group has done an amazing job. Q. What do your folks do and how do you find your way to golf? PATRICK REED: My dad's in medical sales. He's the one that taught me the game whenever I was basically little. I just ran with it from there. Q. Of your three victories, this is the only one that Tiger was in the field. Does that make this one more special? PATRICK REED: Of course it does. It's Tiger Woods. He's the best golfer probably ever to live, and it's one of those things that whenever he's in the field, you always are looking where his name is. Not only that, but you had every Top‑5 player in the world I think was here this week. To play against a field like that and go wire‑to‑wire and close it off at the end, it just shows that I have what it takes to play at the top level, as well as have what it takes to be one of the top players in the world just like them. Q. If you consider yourself Top‑5, who are the other four? Who else do you consider there? PATRICK REED: Tiger Woods, of course. You know, good question. I said Top‑5, I didn't know where I was going to be in the top 5 (laughter). I mean, Adam Scott is definitely a great player. You know, still in my eyes, Phil is one of the top three for sure. And you know, I mean, it just seems like every time I play with Graeme McDowell, he surprises me. He does everything really solid. Dustin Johnson, even though he had an off‑day yesterday, I could see how if he gets on a roll, especially if he gets in his groove‑‑ that's a tough question. Those guys, there's so many great players out there. Q. You go to 20 tomorrow; can you live with that for now? PATRICK REED: Oh, yeah (big smile). Q. The other thing I wanted to ask you, your short game, especially on the back nine, which of those shots saving par was most pleasing to you or most important, do you think? PATRICK REED: I would probably say the one on 11. I felt like I hit a really good drive, and it landed‑‑ from where we were, it looked like it landed in the fairway, and it looked like it bounced dead left. And we walked up there and it was in a thick patch of rough and caught a flyer, and actually hit it in the back bunker.  And the pin is only 14 paces on and you have that huge ridge. To hit that bunker shot, I took my 61 and just‑‑ it was probably about a 25‑, 30‑yard bunker shot over ridges and to hit it pin‑high to six feet and roll in that putt; I feel like that was momentum that just kind of sealed it and just let me keep going. But also the up‑and‑down on 13, that par 3, I hit in that right bunker and hit a great bunker shot there, and the best one was 15. I hate that hole. (Laughter). I hit pitching wedge yesterday to that left flag and hit it in the right side of the green to 3‑putt. Then both days that flag was on the right, I've hit it in the right bunker. And today I hit it in the right bunker and I did not have a good lie. Actually it kind of settled down in its line, and I hit it‑‑ I thought I made it and it was sitting on the lip about two inches from the hole and was used to kick in. [] after just missing a 3‑footer on the hole before for par, that kept it going []. That I felt like was the critical part. Q. Curious, first of all, you said you couldn't wait to get back out and win your fourth. What's your schedule? PATRICK REED: We have Bay Hill coming up and then we have Augusta. It's just one of those things that I've played Bay Hill last year, and not only that, but I played at Arnold's place a lot during juniors‑‑ amateur golf during the AJGA. I know it's a special place. I love the golf course; so I can't wait to get back there, and it's going to be a treat walking down Augusta down that first fairway. Q. Secondly, you probably are a top five player in The Ryder Cup standings now, so wondering how much thought, if any, you've given to getting on that team? PATRICK REED: You know, that would mean the world to me to make that team. That was one of my goals a long time ago was to make it on The Ryder Cup Team, as well as make it on the Olympics team. You know it's one of those things, I love match play, and to work very hard and actually earn my spot on that team would mean everything to me. We're going to work very hard and keep on moving forward, and, you know, secure that. Q. You alluded to some of the struggles that you faced a couple years ago. From the time you came on the TOUR, what were some of the hardest obstacles you and your team had to overcome to be as good as you are now? PATRICK REED: Hitting hooks. (Laughter) I mean, it seems like every time‑‑ I'm naturally a drawer of the golf ball and I don't like hitting cuts. I can, but it's probably one of my weaknesses. But we've worked very hard the past year and a half to feel comfortable with hitting a cut and actually being in the fairway bunker on 17 today, I was in that right one. We got up there and I was really close to the lip and I actually knew the only way I could get it on the green was if I hit a high cut 8‑iron to try to ride the wind. I hit a perfect cut there, and to be able to do that, especially under the gun on the 71st hole with a one‑shot lead, I knew that what I worked on on trying to perfect that cut is definitely a move in the right direction. Q. For sort of the young part of the year, if someone were to say that's two guys who have five wins already, they might not say Patrick Reed, Jimmy Walker at the start of the year. Do you get a sense of an influx of youth? I know Jimmy is not nearly as young as you, but the state of the TOUR right now where we are in some fairly good turnover? PATRICK REED: Definitely, look at Russell Henley, he's won twice, Harris English has won twice, Jordan Spieth won once, myself, I've been three times. It's just one of those things that we've worked very hard, all of us, to get where we are, and it's definitely shown what we are doing is working. To see the young guys coming out and playing and putting it to the veterans is always nice. You know, Jimmy Walker, last year and the year before, it seemed like I always saw his name inside the Top‑10. And it was only a matter of time that we knew he was going to win. And for him to go and win three times this year, definitely shows that what he's doing has been amazing; due to the fact that he's that guy that he's a Top‑10 machine. It just seems like he hasn't won, and all of a sudden he just Top‑10s and you knew he was going to have a breakout year, and it just happened to be this year where he's on a roll. Q. How long have you worked hard? PATRICK REED: How long have I worked hard? My whole life. It's one of those things that I'm a firm believer that if you're not working hard, people are working hard and passing you, so you'd better work just as hard if not harder to keep up and also move forward. It definitely shows that the person who works the hardest at home is the ones that come to events and are the top players and win. Look at Tiger; I mean, he doesn't just go home and sit on the couch, that's for sure. He works as hard as he can at home and puts in all the hours, and that's why he has an ungodly amount of wins. Q. For golf followers who might be unfamiliar with your story, how would you describe yourself and what interests do you have besides golf? PATRICK REED: I mean, I would say I'm a competitor. I'm just one of those guys that loves to come out and compete, hard‑working, we work as hard as we can, not only at events but also at home. You know, just kind of down‑to‑earth, like to have a great time. Besides golf, geez, sleep, go to the pool, hang out on the boat. Just kind of get away from the game. Q. Sort of along those lines, what will the celebration be like tonight, and how will it differ from your first couple of wins, because it's sort of getting to be old hat by now. PATRICK REED: Well, the first one, we were so tired after the round that we went back and ordered room service. By the time room service came, we were so tired that we couldn't even eat. We tried to go straight to bed. At Humana, we went out to a nice dinner. That win, there wasn't too much hype to the fact that you had a seven‑shot lead and just coasted and played a solid round and did what you had to do. This one, probably just have another nice dinner and probably try to figure out when I'm flying home. Q. In a month, you're going to be able to play your first major championship where you've won two National Championships in college; how does that trophy and this win change your expectations going into that events? PATRICK REED: Before this event, my whole was to compete and be in contention come down Sunday at Augusta. To go and play the field that all these guys are going to be at Augusta, basically, to go and go wire‑to‑wire, that definitely just gives me more confidence come Sunday that if I play how I'm supposed to at Augusta, that we'll be in the running. Q. The up‑and‑downs you made on the back were great, but following you on the front, it looked like 2 could have been a real turning point, and then you came back, birdie, birdie, and had a six‑shot lead at that point. How big was that for you? PATRICK REED: You know, it was huge due to the fact that I felt like I hit a great drive on 2. I actually looked at my caddie, Kessler, and said, hey, that's in the fairway right? He said sure‑‑ it was a draw and it looked like it landed left of the bunker and we saw it bounce. All of a sudden we are walking up there and we see it in the bunker. Yeah, I hit a poor bunker shot. Fairway bunkers are probably a weakness of mine and I caught it just a tad off the toe and over‑drew. I hit probably the best chip I could from down there. It was sitting so high in the rough that I couldn't even really open up the face or I would have gone right underneath it. I hit a good putt. I just was a little short. Had to follow it up with hitting a great drive and a solid 7‑iron at the flag and to roll in a long putt; and then to step up on 4, which4 has been giving a lot of people trouble; and to hit a 7‑iron, especially with swinging as hard as I did, it's very easy for me to hit that full, hard shot left, just overdraw; and with how the wind was going, it was a had little right‑to‑left and into, I held that one really straight right at it, and hit it to 15, 20 feet and made a perfect putt there. Just one of those things that just got me going allowed me to roll with it the rest of the day. CHRIS REIMER: Thank you, congratulations. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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