The end of the first stage in the FedEx Cup Playoffs is over, and United States Olympian Patrick Reed came out victorious at the Barclays.
Reed sat atop the leaderboard after day two but fellow Olympian Rickie Fowler eeked his way into the leader position at 9-under-par after posting a 3-under in his third round. Poised to stay amongst the leaders, Fowler was 1-under through his first nine holes in his fourth round. It wasn’t until the 16th hole where Fowler felt his lead slip through his fingers.
Headed to the 15th at even par on the day after bogeying the par-4 11th hole ending his 55-hole bogey-free streak, Fowler would run into trouble after yanking his drive left and his second shot into a greenside bunker causing him to finish with a bogey on the 16th Fowler’s misfortunes weren’t quite over yet. Fowler would also double-bogey the par-4 16th after a yanked drive and duffed pitch shot into the greenside rough left him scrambling to save bogey.
Fowler did show grit in his final moments at Bethpage Black by knocking in a long birdie put on the par-3 17th hole.
The fans love Rickie.#QuickHits https://t.co/FkMmiRtOY9
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 28, 2016
Fowlers struggles continued, however, as he would go on to bogey the 18th hole after a third yanked drive in three attempts, paving the way for Reed to capture his first title of the year and the fifth of his career.
That’s a biiiiiig trophy. https://t.co/WpbbVmGkiZ
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 29, 2016
Reed’s successful weekend didn’t just bring home a nice payday, but it also catapulted him to the top of the FedEx Cup standings by scoring 2,000 points and earned him a spot on the United States Ryder Cup team.
Next week, the PGA Tour heads to TPC Boston where Fowler will try to shake off this weekend’s breakdown and reclaim his title, but until then here’s Justin Rose flaunting his Olympic Gold to finish his tap in on the 18th hole.
Justin Rose brings out the gold.#QuickHits https://t.co/V0QmNhAt2X
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 28, 2016