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ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL PRESENTED BY MASTERCARDMarch 18, 2014Patrick ReedORLANDO, FLORIDA MARK STEVENS: Like to welcome Patrick Reed, thank you for taking time this morning. Had a week after off since your win at the WGC Cadillac Championship two weeks ago. Talk about what you've been doing on your week off and your thoughts coming into this week. PATRICK REED: We've been doing a lot of celebrating and not as much celebration of the golf, it's more of the baby on the way. We had the baby shower. We had some friends come in town. We were able to spend the week and reflect on that, and also reflect on the win and do some work with my swing coach for the last couple of days and just trying to get ready for this course. Q. Your confidence, your comments about your being a top five player, considering yourself a top five player just created a lot of buzz. What was your reaction to the buzz that it created? PATRICK REED: I thought it was pretty funny. It was interesting to see how much of basically a stir that got up in the media. You know, when it comes down to it, that's what I believe in. And that's how I see myself as a player. But you have to have that belief in yourself. If you don't then you're not going to play like it, and you're definitely not going to be contending on Sundays. Q. After the victory at Doral you made mention of or referred to some experiences you've had here at Bay Hill, junior golf and so forth, wondered if you could talk a little bit more about this golf course and any successes you've had here or anything from junior golf you remember? PATRICK REED: When I played here during the AJGA, I was withthe HP Boys. That golf course was set up a little easier. It was dead heat of summer, it was very firm, very fast. The rough wasn't that high. So it was a totally different golf course, but at the same time a lot of things haven't been made, some of the conditions have. The comfort on the lines off the tee and that kind of stuff, I still know those. That kind of helps. We played last year here. I felt like we played great, except for No. 18. We had 16 shots in two rounds. We made a 10 and a 6. We missed the cut by I think one or two, something like that. And it was just one hole that got us. So hopefully this year I can conquer that hole. Q. Going back to your Augusta State days. First of all, what did you take most out of that, and how important did Josh play a role, being the coach and being kind of a mentor, so to speak? PATRICK REED: Josh did a great job, due to the fact that he really understood that every player does things differently. And like me, I'm more the kind of guy that pops in his headphones and just goes through my practice. When my practice is done I'll leave. And you have other guys on the team that like to talk and like to play games. You have other guys that like to play, rather than hit balls on the range. So he allowed every player to do what was most comfortable for them. If something wasn't working he usually gave advice on what to fix. With him, how good of a player he was, when he said something we all understood. And we kind of took it to heart and worked on what he said. And at the end of the day it allowed Henrik and Mitch to play great, and Carter Neumann and myself. All the guys on the team. And when that happens we have a group of guys playing well you're going to win national championships. It was a fun run. Q. (Inaudible.) PATRICK REED: Definitely playing on the team, because it's totally different than playing individually. When you're out there and your team is up by two, and you're only up by one, you might play the hole a little differently, it just all depends on being able to mesh and play with the team, rather than always playing golf individually. A couple of tournaments are lying that, like Presidents Cup or Ryder Cup. Q. Not to go all fashion on you, what kind of bracelet is that? PATRICK REED: David Yurman. Q. Back to top five, were you concerned it might rub some of your colleagues the wrong way? PATRICK REED:  No, not at all. It's what I believe in. I know you have to have that belief in yourself whenever you're playing golf. I wouldn't think it would rub anyone the wrong way just on the fact that people now know what I believe and what my goals are. Q. We kind of covered this at Doral. When you say something like that, are you thinking there are no more than four guys better than you, or is top five is an adjective, like 4‑4 speed means you're really fast, that kind of thing? PATRICK REED: Good question. Q. Let's get a good answer, then, Patrick. PATRICK REED: Exactly. It's one of the things that I feel like down the road, I mean, that if I continue doing what I'm doing and taking care of myself that I can be inside the top five players in the world, whether that's one through five or five through one. To me it's just one of those things that wherever I end up, if I succeed and get to that goal then I've succeeded and I've become what I've been trying to do basically my whole life and what I've dreamed of. Q. Have you dreamed of five or one? PATRICK REED: Of course we've all dreamed of one. And that would be nice, but there's a guy that has a lock hold on that pretty tight. Q. When you played Augusta National, since you left school, is it going to be a home game for you doesn't you've seen the golf course, and you've seen it in tournament conditions? PATRICK REED: I haven't played ever since I left school. I've played three times with the school. And when we played it was very soft. It was wet. It was cold. We were all bundled up. It played very, very long. It's going to play totally different when we go and play. Now it's still a golf course I'd love to play barefoot, because there's not a single thing misplaced on that whole entire golf course. It's amazing. It's going to play a little different. We're going to go over early and see how it plays, and try to get comfortable and ready for that event. Q. The second part of that, since you lived there and played there, the town is going to be familiar. Is that going to make it a little easier, just knowing where everything is, and knowing where the restaurants are and those kind of places? PATRICK REED: For sure. But when we're there we're not really thinking where we're eating, it's more focusing on trying to put a good round together and hopefully come down Sunday and have a chance to win. Q. The guy who has a lock hold on No.1 that you referred to, what is your earliest memory of him? We know he influenced what you wear on Sunday, but in what other ways has Tiger influenced you? PATRICK REED: Just that killer instinct and the will to win. It just seems that every time he's close to the lead everyone notices him. I definitely noticed him at Doral. Stepping up on that first tee and looking down the fairway and seeing a swarm of people. And seeing a guy on the fairway in black and red. Everybody knows where he is at all times. That's a thing that allowed me to realize that I've worked really hard on becoming mentally strong and not letting the things around me distract me as much. That's something he's been amazing at. And that's something that I'm really working on that I've tried to take from him. Q. Your earliest memory of Tiger? PATRICK REED: It's either the chip on 16 at Augusta when he made it, the win at the British Open at Liverpool. The eight wins in a row. The major, huge fist pump, when I first saw that. Just the look in his eyes whenever I first saw him play and win on Sunday, it was like, wow, he gets it. He understands it. Q. Could I ask you, has Tom Watson been in touch since Doral, and could I get some of your thoughts on the Ryder Cup and whether it's come across your radar to make this team? PATRICK REED: It's always been a goal of mine to make a Ryder Cup team. It's always been a dream of mine to play and represent the United States. I haven't had the pleasure to talk to Mr. Watson or anything like that. Hopefully that time comes soon. And hopefully I continue playing well where I'm playing well. Q. When did you start to think you had a chance to make it? PATRICK REED: I always thought I had a chance to play on the Ryder Cup. This year, I mean, really the only time it really came to mind was when I first saw, after our second win, we were 13th, and I thought, okay, if I continue playing really well, get some top‑10s that I could sneak in there. After this last win, now suddenly I'm 4th in the rankings. Now it's really one of those things that if I continue playing well that I'll be able to make the team and hopefully do some damage on the Ryder Cup team. Q. When you talk about self belief how much of a learning curve still exists between being one of the top college players in the country and being a week‑in, week‑out contender on the PGA Tour? PATRICK REED: Well, there's a lot‑‑ the one thing in college is you can go put two rounds a week, two really good rounds and then have an okay round, and then about an even par round and you win events. Out here you have to put four solid rounds together. Most of the weeks it seems like I can get two, three really, good, decent rounds, and then I might have one that's not so great. If I can get the consistency down where I'm playing four solid rounds together then that will allow me to contend week in and week out. Q. I don't know if you know this, because of yourself confidence and the boldness of your comments and your willingness to state your ambitions, you've been christened in Britain as "America's Ian Poulter." How does that make you feel? PATRICK REED: It makes me feel really good. Ian Poulter is a great golfer. I mean I love his personality, love his outfits and what he's done on the Ryder Cup team and just that determination and look he has. I mean I think people have been calling him "Angry Bird," because his eyes were bulging out of his head when he made that putt. That's something that everyone is going to remember. And he just seems when it really matters, seems to click and strive. And that's something that I would love to take and hopefully will be able to do, as well. Q. Do you have a Ferrari? PATRICK REED: I don't. Q. What's been the most interesting text or email reaction you've gotten since winning at Doral and the whole top five thing? PATRICK REED: Probably from my coach, Kevin Kirk. He goes, all right, now ‑‑ he texted me on Monday, we discussed the comment and the tournament. He goes, all right, we have Monday and Tuesday off, we're back at work on Wednesday. He keeps me focused. Winning my first World Golf Championship I thought he'd be really more, you know, excited, we'd be talking about it for a while. Once we stepped up to the course on Wednesday, he said what did you do poorly at the event. It wasn't what did you do well. Those aren't the things you work on. What did you do poorly that you need to fix, instead of shooting even par on that final round you can go shoot 68 and completely close it out. Rather than having to take the 3‑iron and hit it into the right rough on the last hole, instead, have like a 5, 6 shot and just rip driver. That was the thing that grabbed my attention, due to the fact that the tournament is done, you won the event now it's time to move on, get to your next event, focus on what you need to do to get ready and play well the following week. Q. Just a follow‑up, have you really thought about playing Augusta National barefoot? PATRICK REED: Oh, yeah. Not while I'm preparing for the event or playing. I've played nine holes at Pebble barefoot, because I had such bad blisters at the Callaway Challenge that I literally couldn't wear my shoes. Hopefully I can use that excuse one time at Augusta when I'm playing for fun, so I can take my shoes off before I even get there. Q. We're three years removed from you and Justine making those all night drives and those puddle jumper airlines. Has it been a whirlwind or can you still remember getting in the car at midnight and putting the pedal to the metal for that next stop? PATRICK REED: My back still hurts from it. Those drives were brutal, that's for sure. But it allowed us to really understand and realize how tough it is out here. And you can't take anything for granted, as well as the fact that that's how they used to do it in the olden days.  Hop in their car, drive week in and week out, qualify and play the events. Seems like we've seen golf from every angle. Q. Patrick, some of us who haven't seen you, how did you start playing golf and why golf? PATRICK REED: It's a game that I grew up‑‑ I grew up, my family had me play. When I was very little, around three, I just loved the game and just stuck with it. I was watching it on TV all the time. And it was one of those things that I knew if I played I'd be able to play for my whole life. It wouldn't be a sport that by‑‑ I'd play five to ten years and have to retire. Q. Have you considered at all how you're going to approach your first Masters emotionally? I guess you're not the kind who's going to concede a first timer can't win there? PATRICK REED: It's one of those things that I'm going to try to take it day‑by‑day, and go into it with the same attitude that I do everything, it's another event. You have to play golf. You have to play golf. You have to do your best. You have to have a good game plan going into it. That's just the way I'm going to take. Just like I've done ever since our first win. I'm going to try to stick to the same schedule, same game plan I've always done, because that's what's working. That's in my comfort zone. If I get comfortable that's going to allow you to be more confident, play better golf, and be more consistent. Q. And first timer? PATRICK REED: Anyone in my eyes, whoever shows up at an event nowadays, has a chance to win. If they play their best golf for four days, they have a really good chance of winning. So I don't put it past myself on‑‑ I'm definitely not going to say that I don't have a chance of winning. I feel like I do. But at the same time I'm going to have to put four really good rounds together. Q. Do you think that streak is in jeopardy more this year than ever, if you look at the other Masters rookies, the class of Masters rookies this year, yourself, Harris, Jordan, I could list them all, but we'd miss lunch. PATRICK REED: You could say that, but at the same time you have all the veterans out there that have played there, have won there. So when it comes down to it any week it seems like, whether it's a veteran or whether it's a rookie, that if they're playing great golf they're going to win the event. When we go to Augusta whoever is the most comfortable that week and whoever has the most control with their golfball and is putting well is going off with a victory. Q. What do you think it is about the landscape of the Tour, you have an extraordinary number of players that have never played the Masters, that are top 40 or 50 in the world? PATRICK REED: It's one of those things we grew up watching the great players and Tiger, what he's done, that has pushed us harder to want to reach our goals. And we want to basically play the game how he's done and the dominant fashion that he's done. Just kind of pushed us harder to practice harder and try to play the game. And we see guys like Dustin Johnson and Bubba Watson who win, who hit the ball 5,000 yards, hit driver, wedge on every hole. And you have guys like Zach Johnson who really think and strategize around the golf course. And the year he won the Masters, didn't go for a single par‑5. But led the field in birdies on par‑5s in stroke average. And it's one of those things we're all believing there's a lot of different ways to win, a lot of different ways to be competitive. And with that aspect we're just trying to find basically what works for us and it just seems to be working. MARK STEVENS: Thank you for your time, Patrick. Good luck this week. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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