Joining the greatest at Augusta National
By Bill Felber
Nobody likes him, but…
Patrick Reed already has a Green Jacket, having won the 2018 Masters. Give him a second this week and it will be fair to discuss Reed’s place among the game’s greatest.
Since 2017, Reed accompanies that Masters win with a tie for second at the 2017 PGA, a solo fourth at the 2018 U.S. Open, and a couple of other top 10s. It’s not an overpowering Major resume, but statistically it is good enough to stand him at -1.18 entering the 2021 season.
That puts Reed in a tie with Ian Woosnam and Michelle Wie West for 164th place in the game’s history.
But give him a second Green Jacket with a score about 2.50 standard deviations better than the field average and Reed’s score could improve to -1.35. If that happens, he would climb inside the top 130, in the company of such names as inaugural Masters champion Horton Smith (-1.36), Justin Rose (-1.33) and Julius Boros (-1.36).
Reed’s reputation is such that the mere mention of considering him among the game’s top 125 or so immortals is likely to set wrong with many. But that’s the nice thing about numbers…they don’t have attitudes. And on the data alone, Reed would deserve it.
Beyond that, those offended by Reed can sleep on this consoling thought: He hasn’t won that second Green Jacket yet, and given the depth of the field he probably won’t. But if he does…