It must have been difficult for Australian golf fans to comprehend American star Pat Reed’s withdrawal from his scheduled appearance at last week’s innovative ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth tournament.
Especially given the world No.11 chose to tee it up at the US PGA Tour’s Genesis Open at Riviera Country Club instead.
Reasons for withdrawals are always taken with a grain of salt and Reed’s doctor recommending he avoids a marathon flight to Perth due to a respiratory illness drew the ire of many fans Down Under.
Not that the European Tour co-sanctioned event was any poorer in his absence – far from it.
Perth local and short-game maestro Brett Rumford vindicated the part strokeplay/part matchplay shootout format by battling 17-year-old Thai golfer Phachara Khongwatmai for an emphatic victory.
Big-name European Tour stars Louis Oosthuizen and Thorbjorn Olesen relished playing at the stunning Lake Karrinyup course.
But on behalf of Australia, this writer tracked down the 26-year-old Ryder Cup star after Sunday’s final round at the Genesis Open to see if he knew what he was missing.
“Of course I’m sad I wasn’t able to go but my doctor says it’d be best for me to stay home and not go on some really long flights. I had to (listen),” Reed told Australian Golf Digest.
“I was looking forward to going over. It would’ve been my first time in Australia, so I guess I’ll have to make it over sometime soon.”
Naturally, the follow-up question was, “How soon, Patrick?”
“I don’t know,” Reed replied.
