Q. Patrick, when you joined the league, everyone thought you'd win before your 41st event. Now that you've ascended the mountaintop, is there a mixture of relief and elation?
PATRICK REED: I think the biggest relief is finally winning in my home state. They popped that news to me that I haven't won in Texas, so to finally get that done meant a lot. Obviously to get my first win here, part of LIV, meant so much to me. I tried to mess it up. After making birdie on the first, I seemed to leave every putt short, and just kind of putting pretty tentative.
It was one of those things that you have that putt there to win in the final actual hole of regulation and hitting a good putt, doesn't go in there, leave it short. When I had that downhill one, I thought I left it short too, but making birdie on the last always helps.
Q. You had a five-shot lead early in the round and then lost it. What did you tell yourself?
PATRICK REED: I told myself that hey, the putts have to start falling. For the most part I felt like I was hitting the ball fine. Just a lot of missed putts. Just kind of go through the first nine, besides that first putt I made on hole 1 which was a close one, I go two-putt, three-putt, two-putt, two-putt, two-putt. Even when I made birdie on 7 it was because I two-putted.
I knew at some point that you're going to have to deal with some adversity. It always happens every tournament, no matter when you win. You always have to deal with something. I had to deal with just the ball not going in and watching everyone get closer and closer and actually the lead there at one point.
The only thing Kess kept telling me is keep giving yourself more opportunities. You have one more hole than everybody else since you had a later tee time. Keep on grinding, and when the last man is standing let's make it count.
Q. How confident are you heading into the Open Championship now with this win under your belt?
PATRICK REED: Yeah, we feel good. The game has felt really solid recently. Today even though the score was high compared to where it should have been, it was kind of one of those days that when you don't make putts, any little thing that's off is going to cost you. The good thing is I had a big enough lead there to hold it together.
But game feels solid. I'm looking forward to Portrush but I'm really looking forward to next week going to Germany, DP World Tour event, keep this momentum going, win there, and who knows, maybe go on a run.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports