Alan Shipnuck tells the sad story of how Pat Reed's parents lost touch with their Masters Champion son.
Alan Shipnuck is one of the best golf writers in the business and he tells the story of how Pat Reed fell out with his parents in Golf.com.
The report starts confusingly with a big Masters party at The Reed family home, just three miles away from Augusta, with parents Bill and Jeanette hugging each when estranged son Pat won. "It was a dizzying mix of pride and pain," says Shipnuck.
The report goes on to describe a brash cocky kid, who grew up practicing hard, but partied like it was 1999 when he first experienced college life. A change of Uni, prodigious golf talent, retained on teams though teammates didn't want him is also described.
But what happened to drive such a wedge between him and his parents?
The answer seems to be Reed's wife Justine, four years his senior. When the pair decided to get married when Pat was 22, his parents expressed "misgivings."
Maybe Justine had a valid reason? Maybe she thought his parent s showing up during a golf tournament might put her husband off his work.
Not really according to Shipnuck.
There is a semi endorsement in there from Daniel Berger. But quickly qualified with something negative like "To be honest, he doesn't really play with the guys during practice rounds. He's always by himself."
Its a cracking read.
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The report starts confusingly with a big Masters party at The Reed family home, just three miles away from Augusta, with parents Bill and Jeanette hugging each when estranged son Pat won. "It was a dizzying mix of pride and pain," says Shipnuck.
Bill and Jeanette Reed |
The report goes on to describe a brash cocky kid, who grew up practicing hard, but partied like it was 1999 when he first experienced college life. A change of Uni, prodigious golf talent, retained on teams though teammates didn't want him is also described.
But what happened to drive such a wedge between him and his parents?
The answer seems to be Reed's wife Justine, four years his senior. When the pair decided to get married when Pat was 22, his parents expressed "misgivings."
The advice was not well received and Bill and Jeannette (and Hannah Pat's younger sister) were not invited to the wedding and Patrick cut off contact with his family, instead surrounding himself with Justine's people: her brother Kessler took over caddying duties; her sister, Kris, served as a nanny for the Reeds' daughter Windsor Wells; mom Janet regularly travels with the family, acting as a kind of chief of staff and helping with her granddaughter and grandson Barrett, who was born in December 2017.Since then there has been no communication between Pat and his parents. If anything the animosity has grown.
A friend of Bill and Jeannette's had extra tickets to the 2014 U.S. Open, so with some trepidation, they went to Pinehurst No. 2 and followed Patrick throughout the second round, hoping to perhaps reestablish contact and meet their granddaughter for the first time. Justine was also in the gallery, but no words were exchanged. Walking up the 18th hole, Bill, Jeannette and Hannah were surrounded by police officers. They ultimately were escorted off the grounds and had their tournament badges confiscated by a USGA official who, according to Jeannette, said he was acting on Justine's wishes.
Maybe Justine had a valid reason? Maybe she thought his parent s showing up during a golf tournament might put her husband off his work.
Not really according to Shipnuck.
There is a semi endorsement in there from Daniel Berger. But quickly qualified with something negative like "To be honest, he doesn't really play with the guys during practice rounds. He's always by himself."
Its a cracking read.
Join the GolfCentralDaily community on Facebook Here and on Twitter Here. Follow @golfcentraldoc
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