This is the best I’ve seen Patrick Reed play, but he’s not in my top picks for the Masters
Seven under par for the day after 14 holes and holding a two-shot lead, Bryson DeChambeau looked absolutely nailed on to win the WGC-Mexico Championship on Sunday.
But from there his run of birdies dried up and he bogeyed 17, opening the door for fellow American Patrick Reed to steal in and claim his second WGC title. That’s golf.
Reed was in pretty brilliant form, too. His own streak of four birdies in six holes from the 12th gave him a two-shot cushion heading up the last, which it turned out he would need.
A bad tee-shot at 18 which led to a closing bogey was one of his very few slips, however, and can be put down to pressure.
Reed was very accomplished; this is probably the best I’ve ever seen him play.
The 2018 Masters winner is a beautiful golfer who has great hands. When his game is all in sync there are few better players.
Reed spoke of having wanted to get a win under his belt this year before returning to Augusta in a few weeks’ time.
It’s not as if he needs the confidence; he has never been shy in blowing his own trumpet. Reed knows how good he is and that’s more than half the battle in golf. He is full of it and why not?
He went close at the Tournament of Champions in January, when he lost in a play-off to Justin Thomas, but now he has the victory he wanted.
Reed wouldn’t be in my top five picks for the Masters but he has form both at the course and this season and is drawing the ball again, which always helps at Augusta, so he is not far away.
Rahm, Rory and Van Rooyen sparkle
A man who would be in my top five is Jon Rahm, who shot a fantastic 61 on Saturday to set a new course record at the Club de Golf Chapultepec.
He looked a real contender when he began in the same vein on Sunday but this is one of those courses that offers so many birdies, so it is hard to sustain a charge up the leaderboard.
Still, this was Rahm’s fifth top-three finish in eight events and lifted him above Brooks Koepka to No2 in the world rankings, so he is bubbling up nicely.
World No1 Rory McIlroy had another typical week. He threatened to win but didn’t, yet still came in the top five for the sixth tournament running and the 10th time in 13 events since The Open.
It’s not as if he isn’t winning at all – his ratio is still high. If his game clicks he will win; if it doesn’t, he is still so good that he is likely to be up there anyway.
Another player who deserves a mention is South African Erik van Rooyen, who shared third with Rahm in his best result yet on the PGA Tour.
The 30-year-old oozes class and his ball-striking and all-round ability have got people talking. This should help him in his aim to cement a place on the US circuit.
To Viktor, the spoils
Young Norwegian Viktor Hovland is a man doing just that.
Still in his first full season as a professional, he won his maiden PGA Tour title at the Puerto Rico Open on Sunday.
Although the big stars were in Mexico, you can only beat what’s in front of you and to do so at this stage of his career is extraordinary.
The 22-year-old former US Amateur champion has loads of power and heart, and this shows that he also knows how to win.