Masters Champion Patrick Reed Gets Kudos From Idol Tiger Woods
NEW YORK (CNN) - In the past, Patrick Reed wore black and red to mirror his idol Tiger Woods, and took lessons at Hank Haney's ranch in Texas -- the former world No. 1's ex-coach -- hoping to one day emulate his hero.
Reed still has a way to go in matching Woods' golf feats, but in opening his tally at majors by winning the Masters, the sport's biggest prize, imagine his delight at being congratulated by his legendary fellow American.
"I got a call from Tiger," Reed told CNN's Alex Thomas, understandably still basking in the glory of his Augusta success.
Woods was not the only one to reach out to the 27-year-old champ, with major winners Tom Watson, Davis Love, Jim Furyk, Lee Trevino and Bubba Watson also getting in touch. "A lot of the guys have been sending a lot of text messages, just lots of support, and it just shows how close a group we are on the PGA Tour and we're just one big family out there," Reed said.
"Of [course you] want to win, but if someone else does, we're there to support him and cheer him along," Reed added.
Receiving congratulatory messages might be commonplace for new champions, but it's especially noteworthy in Reed's case. He has a reputation for sticking to himself on the tour, much like Woods did in the early stages of his career. So much so that, during the U.S.'s disastrous Ryder Cup showing in 2014, one of golf's behemoths, Phil Mickelson, according to Golf World, told Reed: "Patrick, we need to know you better."
Doing a host of interviews in the wake of his victory on Sunday, people are indeed starting to get to know Reed better. In speaking to CNN, he didn't shy away from questions about his rocky relationship with his own family. They are estranged. "I am who I am," Reed told CNN Sport's Don Riddell in an interview on Sunday after winning the Masters.
"You know that once you're successful, there's going to be good things and bad things that people say and, honestly, to me, it doesn't really matter," Reed said.
Of the last six Masters winners, only one -- Jordan Spieth -- has won a major away from Augusta, while Bubba Watson did add to his haul of majors by claiming a second Masters crown in 2014.
Reed, whose best finish at a major prior to last weekend was a second-place showing at the PGA Championship last August, is convinced that he won't be a one-hit wonder. "I've won the first one, so I know it can be done," said Reed. "It's one thing to believe, it's [another] to go ahead and do it. Once you get in that winning circle, now it's become a reality. You know it can be done."
"I'd be disappointed if this was the only [major]," Reed added.
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