American ace adamant Valderrama is perfect warm-up for NI
Pumped-up Patrick Reed is adamant LIV stars’ Open preparation isn’t being damaged by being in Spain.
The American ace is amongst the 19 players on the Saudi-backed series who are spending their build-up competing in Valderrama.
While most of the game’s elite are at the Genesis Scottish Open getting the ideal build-up for Royal Portrush on links turf, the LIV players are on different terrain in Spain.
It’s a widely-held view that will leave them at a major disadvantage going into the big one in Northern Ireland, but Reed is having none of that chat.
The Ryder Cup star, who won the last LIV event in Dallas, said: “Yeah, this golf course is different, but at the same time, this week the wind is supposed to blow, which at The Open Championship it’s always windy and around a golf course like this you have to hit quality golf shots.
“You have to work the ball both ways and you have to start moving the ball in certain directions and at The Open Championship that’s what you’re doing the whole time. You’re manipulating shots to work it into the wind or ride the wind or use the ground as your friend and not like back in the States where everything is just hit a ball up in the air.
“I feel like this place gets you in a good mindset on seeing a golf shot and hitting a golf shot like we’re going to see next week.”
Reed hopes to deliver at Portrush knowing a Claret Jug success could land him a dream return to The Ryder Cup.
The LIV star doesn’t have the ranking points to qualify automatically for Keegan Bradley’s team at Bethpage, but victory in Northern Ireland will change the scene totally.
Reed knows it and said: “It’s a hard one to answer. I think it all comes down to next week at The Open. Obviously play well here, but go ahead and win the Open Championship and I believe I’d be inside the top six on points, so I think that would lock it in and allow me to be on the team.
“Really the next couple weeks I have to play some solid golf, go out and contend on Sundays, have a chance to win golf tournaments and, if I do that, then hopefully Keegan picks me. But at the end of the day, because we only get the majors that have points for the Ryder Cup, it’s an uphill battle.
“The good thing is I feel like I’m in a good spot right now as long as I go out and play well in the final major.
“The game feels really solid. We feel ready to go. My biggest thing is when we’re going into here is to really just stay patient. I know this course is challenging and it can really take it out of you, especially with ball-striking wise and trying to hit fairways around this place.
“For me really it’s go out there and try to do the same thing I’ve done the past two times here, just a little better, so I can hold up the trophy again.”
