NEIL AHERN: How excited are you feeling about this week and opportunity of making history and becoming the first American to win The Race to Dubai?
PATRICK REED: We feel great. You know, just to be over here, be able to play, be back play on The European Tour is always a treat for me and to be in the position that I'm in, being kind of the leader coming in, is an awesome feeling. Shows that way did throughout year was solid and really it comes down to this event. Come down and play well and hopefully make history.
NEIL AHERN: You've got a runner-up finish here a couple of years ago, and you've been on a strong run of form. You must be feeling really, really confident coming into the week.
PATRICK REED: Yeah, I feel good. I feel like the work that we've done at home and the work that we were able to do with my coach and my team has been great and I feel like we've put ourselves in position.
I feel comfortable with the way the game is right now. I feel good going into tomorrow, and it's just one of those things that it's last event of the year. It's a sprint. Go out there and leave it all out there and play as hard as you can and hopefully by late Sunday, we have a chance to win not only the tournament but The Race to Dubai.
Q. You've had some great successes in your career already including a major, where would winning The Race to Dubai stand to your career?
PATRICK REED: It would definitely be up there near the top. You know it's always been a dream of mine to not only win on the PGA Tour but also on The European Tour, and to win the FedExCup as well as The Race to Dubai. To be able to get one of those kind of goals that I've had set for my career, especially this early, would be great.
It's one of those things that I've always enjoyed coming over, I feel like the guys always like having me over here and the fans have always been very supportive. To be able to come out to an event like this, the last tournament of the year, go out and have a good showing, hopefully win this golf tournament, win The Race to Dubai, would mean a lot.
Q. Collin was in contention, as well, and in comparison to him, you've played in a number of regular European Tour events. How strange must it be for him to have a chance to win The Race to Dubai in his very first start on The European Tour?
PATRICK REED: It's just one of those things that shows how well he's played throughout year in the big events that count on both tours, but at the same time, it's been a really weird year. It's been a shortened season obviously with COVID and everything that's going on, and that being said, the guys that are on this tour and the guys that are on the PGA Tour that come over and play, it just shows that you have to play well in the big events. It puts emphasis on playing some great golf, not only just consistent golf throughout the year, but also playing well in the big tournaments, and if you're able to do that, you put yourselves in position to win whether it's a FedExCup or even winning here in The Race to Dubai.
Q. I just want to ask you about the history side of things, as well, because obviously in golf you can achieve a slightly better score than somebody else who has won a tournament, but this is a first if you are the first American to win The Race to Dubai. There's not a lot of firsts in golf at the moment. What that would that mean?
PATRICK REED: It's an amazing feeling to be in this position. From whenever I started coming play on The European Tour it's always been a dream of mine to win the Order of Merit and win The Race to Dubai over here, and really, the only way you're going to be able to do that is not just play well in the big events, but when you come over and you play if golf tournament over here and you play on The European Tour, because we don't play as many, you have to play well in those events. You have to give yourself chances to win.
To kind of play the way I did especially at Wentworth where I felt like I left some shots out there but was still able to finish third, and to come into this event, having that little bit of a cushion, is really a great feeling.
I think the biggest thing is, of course, we have been thinking about recently, okay, you know, go out, win, what it can do to you and being the first American. But at the end of the day, when that gun goes off tomorrow it's strictly business, go out there and play shot by shot and try to shoot the lowest score you possibly can and see how everything falls out. The biggest thing is put yourself in position on Sunday and hopefully for a really fun Sunday.
Q. Can I ask a follow-up about the Earth Course itself, you're well used to it and you've played it a number of times now, how is it looking today and how is it feeling for you before you go into tomorrow?
PATRICK REED: It's looking great like always. It's nice and green. The greens are rolling true, rolling pure, and that's all you can really ask for is for good conditions and for the greens to run true because then it comes down to whoever is playing the best golf is going to win the golf tournament.
I think that's what I love about this golf tournament is it's all right out in front of you. There's not really any tricky thins to it. It comes down to who is able to put the ball in the right position, hit some good iron shots and makes the putts.
Q. When all the players got text message from the PGA Tour on the Thursday night of the players, would you think standing there at Sawgrass that you would be here now sort of having played at least three of the four majors and sort of had a Tour Championship, and now sort of look back on the season and wonder how we ever got through this?
PATRICK REED: At PLAYERS, it wasn't looking good. It's one of those things that you just never know. You never know what's going to happen. You don't know if it's going to be one of those things that the virus is going to be around for a short period of time; if it was going to -- once the heat kind of came on if it was going to kind of burn out or if it was going to last.
I think what the PGA Tour and the European Tour have been able to do with the protocols and how we're able to kind of, you know, limit our exposure around people and put ourselves in a bubble has really allowed us to successfully have a season, and I think that's the biggest thing. We're one of the very few that actually be able to, you know, still work and not really be affected too much on what's going on. We're truly blessed to have that happen with us.
And with that being said, I felt like it's been amazing to still be able to come overseas and have that chance to be able to travel over here and play. Whenever I was able to go to Wentworth and see how the things were run on The European Tour, it definitely made me feel very comfortable coming over and playing over here.
Q. And just on the back of your answer there, how proud can the golf game be in the bigger picture of what they have done this year to sort of bring sport back despite all the sadness and death going on around the world?
PATRICK REED: I think it's huge, especially with what golf has been able to do and how we are able to find of figure out to get everyone out and playing but at the same time staying safe. You're not seeing a huge amount of players and caddies and everybody test positive. The numbers are relatively small for the amount of guys that have tested positive on tours, and that's amazing.
You look at the other sports, especially back Stateside, NFL, Major League Baseball, NBA, you're seeing a lot of these spikes and cases. It's one of those things, it's a scary situation, obviously. No one wants to get a virus or anything like COVID.
For everyone to be able to do it how we've been doing it on the PGA Tour and European Tour and get through it, it's been amazing. We are truly blessed to be able to play and be out here and not really feel unsafe. You feel normal. You feel safe when you're out here playing. It's obviously different without fans, but when you're out there actually playing, you don't feel like you have to really worry about anything.
Q. Last week there was an announcement between the PGA and the European Tour about more cooperation in the future, a partnership. You have always supported golf over here. Do you think this will lead to more Americans actually coming over and playing in a new partnership situation?
PATRICK REED: You know, I would hope so. I feel like with the PGA Tour and European Tour coming together and kind of working more together is huge for not just the players but also for golf in general. You have the two biggest organisations in golf come together and kind of work together, whether it's scheduling or kind of bouncing ideas off of each other. And the more everyone can kind of come together and unify each other, it's just going to make it not only easier for travelling, but it's also going to make it better, I feel like, for golf worldwide.
To hopefully have more of the guys state side come over and play, and also vice versa, more of the guys on the Europe side come over and play on our tour is going to be huge for both sides. The great thing about golf is you have fans all around the world.
There's some guys in the States and some fans in the States that want certain guys from Europe coming over, and you have got some guys over in Europe that want -- fans of the guys in the PGA Tour over in the United States.
Hopefully more guys start travelling worldwide and start playing more events. I feel like this was a step that is going to help that and allow to happen because the biggest thing is scheduling and making sure that none of the big event kind of coexist and overlap so guys can kind of travel around the world and play on both tours.
Q. Since this tournament was staged at the Earth Course, the winners have tended to come from the later groups. Obviously as Race to Dubai leader, you'll be going out last tomorrow and Friday. Is that an advantage, do you think? Does the course play a bit easier later in the day?
PATRICK REED: It kind of depends. This week so far when I've come out in the morning and practised, the wind has been down, but it's been cooler. As the afternoon goes on, it obviously gets warmer out but also, you know, wind starts to pick up.
But it's kind of one of those things that I just feel like in the morning it's going to play a little longer, you're going to get a little fresher greens. But in the afternoon, the golf course will play a hair shorter. Just kind of depends. Depends what the weather entails. I remember in the past when we've been here, the wind hasn't really been a factor. It's been very kind of light, and this year it seems like the wind can pick up a little bit more.
Kind of one of those things that it just kind of all depends. You obviously feel better when you're teeing off in the afternoon because that means that you've done something well and that you've put yourself usually in position when you have those late tee times, you feel like you're playing some great golf. Because if you're hovering around cut lines or playing early that means you're not playing as well. It just gives that you confidence in the afternoon tee time knowing the position you're in, and I feel like that's kind of key because you can kind of see if the golf course is playing tougher or easier than what it's supposed to be, and when that happens, you're kind of able to figure out a game plan and how to attack a golf course.
Q. In your view, the way The Race to Dubai finale sets up, so many players, mathematically, 61 players can still win it. As the leader, how do you feel about that? Will you try and work out the permutations, or just if you win the tournament, you win the rude?
PATRICK REED: At the end of the day it comes out to going out and playing some great golf. Whether I'm in the lead leading into the week or not, it's one of those that if you go out, you play how you're supposed to, you have a chance to win on Sunday, and if you win the golf tournament, it's all said and done.
I feel like that's kind of how I'm going in at it. Everyone start at equal and everyone is starting at level par just like a normal golf tournament, you go in there and lowest score wins. For me, it's go out there and play the best I can and if you have a chance to win on Sunday, hopefully you can close it off and get the job done.
Q. It's pretty clear to those of us over here that you're very popular over here. It's obviously clear to you, too, because I suspect you feel comfortable here. Can you explain in your words why you think we like you so much? What is it about you that we like so much?
PATRICK REED: I think it's the competitiveness. You kind of look at kind of sports over here, European sports, especially football for y'all, soccer for me, when you look at it, the way the fans get behind their teams, and the way they get going and cheer for when you're doing something well and then if you're not doing something well they try to pick you up or friendly banter back and forth.
And I feel like seeing that and then coming over and playing my first Ryder Cup in 2014 and really interacting with the fans, going back and forth, giving them little gestures back and forth, I feel like they have really embraced that and liked it and really enjoyed it.
After that, I feel like coming over and showing my support because I've always wanted to be a worldwide player, coming over and playing on The European Tour, for a guy on the PGA Tour, it's very easy to stay home. You can take the easy road and just play on the PGA Tour where every event you're playing for over a million dollars and coming over here, the prizes fluctuate, World Ranking fluctuates a good bit.
But for me it's always been playing for hardware, playing for trophies, trying to win tournaments and being a worldwide player. I've always enjoyed coming over and playing. I feel like the plans like when that happens, someone comes over and plays and shows their support, and because of that, the way I've been able to play, I feel like has really helped me out obviously because just coming over and not playing well doesn't -- won't do you any good. You have to come over, play well, and not only show your support for the event and for the people, but also on the golf course.
Q. Can you pinpoint the moment when you suddenly realised that you were popular here? You mentioned the 2014 Ryder Cup, but what about the match with Rory at Hazeltine? Perhaps that was the moment, or, I don't know. Tell me when you think you realised you were really popular.
PATRICK REED: Right, for me, I felt like it was -- you didn't really know how the fans were going to handle it at 2014, shushing the crowd first time. I got booed pretty hard there on the green, which I kind of expect.
But I came back a couple -- I think it was like a month or two later, I came back and played the Volvo Match Play over in London, and the amount of support that I had out there and how many people were following me and cheering for me was unbelievable, and I felt like at that point, with what I did in 2014, kind of got the fans behind me and they really enjoyed it and liked me coming over. And.
Then ever since from that point on, every time I come over, the fans have been great, and you know, even when I come over for The Ryder Cup, whether it's over here or back home. Back home you expect the fans to be on your side because you're on home turf. But I feel like a lot of the European fans have even supported me during our Ryder Cups over on Stateside.
So it's been great. I love coming over. I love playing for everybody over here and you know, hopefully continue playing well while I'm over here. Just building the fan base and having fun while I come over.
Q. What's your favourite thing that you've heard shouted at you by a fan on this side of the Atlantic?
PATRICK REED: Oohh ...
Q. It's not "in the hole," is it? Thank goodness we don't say that.
PATRICK REED: No. Probably the best compliment someone has yelled for me over here is one of the guys on the European side when I was over here playing an event yelled -- asked if I would play on The European Team for Ryder Cup one of these years.
You know, to hear that, just obviously feels great for me because they know that I'm playing well and that they would want me on their team, their fans want me over here. You know, they are not going to want guys on their team and cheer for guys that they don't like.
To hear something like that felt pretty good, and you know, man, the thing; they are so creative over here; there's so many things that they say, some things can be said on camera, some can't. But it's been a lot of fun. The guys have been great and the fans have been amazing, and I just continue to keep coming over year after year, and hopefully win some golf tournaments over here and play the golf I'm supposed to be playing.
NEIL AHERN: Thank you, Patrick, we really do appreciate your time and hope you have a great week.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports