An event titled the “Hero World Challenge” seems like the place for the self-assured Patrick Reed. He seems to like it in Albany as his results since 2015 go 2-10-T5 for a cumulative 41-under total. His 22-under mark in ‘15 would have won the next two years.
After a disappointing close to the FedEx Cup Playoffs and Ryder Cup, Reed has found some form across the globe. He took T7 at the WGC-HSBC Champions and T2 at the European Tour’s Final Series Finale at the DP World Tour Championship. Last week’s T45 at the Hong Kong Open isn’t too flashy, but he showed his firepower by coming in in 31 on Friday to make the cut by two.
Reed’s weakness of late has been with the driver. Fortunately, Albany can mask some of those issues. He’s been hitting his irons well (9th in the field in Hong Kong in GIR) and his short game is pretty consistent to work around Albany’s small, perched greens. He was second last season on the PGA Tour in strokes gained tee to green.
It’s a long flight from Hong Kong last week to Albany, but perhaps playing in recent weeks will help against a field that’s done a lot of resting this month.