Augusta National will always hold a special place in the heart of Patrick Reed, with the 2018 Masters proving to be the greatest triumph of his career on the golf course.
Patrick Reed is a member of one of golf’s most exclusive clubs. The LIV Golf star this week will get the opportunity to take part in the Champions Dinner at Augusta National before he tees it up at The Masters – a privilege he will now have for as long as he wants.
That is, of course, because of his victory in 2018. Reed took the lead from the second round seven years ago, and managed to see off challenges from the likes of Rory McIlroy and Rickie Fowler to get across the line.
Obviously, Augusta National is one of the most iconic venues in all of golf. Every fan of the sport can recall a number of amazing moments – positive and negative – from a variety of spots on the golf course.
2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed names his favourite hole at Augusta National
And it is no surprise that the players hold it in a similar regard. Ahead of The Masters, Reed was asked by Fried Egg Golf which hole at Augusta National is his favourite.
“It’s hard not to say 12 as one of my favourite holes. It’s so frustrating because it’s such a short par three, yet you can make a mess of it,” he said.
“If you went to the range and told a Tour player: ‘Here’s a bucket of balls, there’s a green out there, you have a 145-yard wedge shot.’ They’re never going to miss the green. But you get to the 12th tee, you have water short, and long is no fun either. You’re standing there on the tee box and the clouds are going one way, the flag on the green is going a different way, and the wind you wrote down in your yardage book is different than those two.
“Plus, the flag on No. 11 is blowing a different direction and you’re sitting there like, what does this do? What are we doing? And that’s a shot that you have to fully commit to. When you hit a shot there, you’re just holding your breath. Then once it lands on the green, you’re able to exhale. I would say that’s one of my favourite holes – if not my favourite – on that golf course.”
The remarkable final round which saw Patrick Reed win The Masters seven years ago
Reed’s final round in 2018 took something of a surprising turn on the back nine. Of the eight players who finished tied for fifth or better, the American was one of just two to bogey 11 – with the other being Rory McIlroy.
Meanwhile, Reed was the only one to make par on the par five 13th. Everyone else in those top five positions made a birdie, except Bubba Watson who made an eagle.
And Reed was unable to make a birdie on the 15th as well. Incredibly, he made a par on all four of the par fives during that final round. Had he been told that ahead of the round, you would imagine that he would fear for his chances.
Instead, his only birdies on the back nine came on 12 and 14, so it is probably understandable why he has such an affection for Amen Corner’s par three.
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