CareerBuilder Challenge Power Rankings: Top ten at PGA West

LA QUINTA, CA - JANUARY 22: The group of Adam Hadwin of Canada, Dominic Bozzelli and Hudson Swafford prepare to putt on the fifth green during the final round of the CareerBuilder Challenge in partnership with The Clinton Foundation at the TPC Stadium Course at PGA West on January 22, 2017 in La Quinta, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

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LA QUINTA, CA – JANUARY 25: Patrick Reed of the United States celebrates a birdie putt on the 16th hole during the final round of the Humana Challenge in partnership with The Clinton Foundation on the Arnold Palmer Private Course at PGA West on January 25, 2015 in La Quinta, California. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images) /

This isn’t groundbreaking news, but a tournament that rewards birdie hunting plays right into Patrick Reed’s strength. He’s a former champion at the CareerBuilder Challenge in 2014 and has made four cuts in a row here.

Reed was 62nd on the PGA Tour last season in par breakers in 18th in 2015-16. He’s well aware he needs to go full throttle this week to get the job done.

"“Instead of hitting driver, I hit 3‑woods to keep it short of some bunkers. And also I started playing really conservative,” Reed said of his 2014 win prior to the 2015 event, as transcribed by ASAP Sports. “Then all of a sudden my lead started to dwindle and then I was like all right now you got it close enough now let’s put the pedal down, play aggressively like you know how to play, and I was able to make a birdie basically right after I did that.”"

Reed will get his 2018 campaign underway this week as he forwent the Hawaiian swing. He’ll hope to pick up where he left off in 2017: He tied for 10th at the DP World Tour Championship (the European Tour’s Final Series closer) and was T5 at the Hero World Challenge.

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