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Patrick Reed and Jordan Spieth hug it out in first round together since their messy Ryder Cup breakup

January 26, 2019

The third round at the Farmers Insurance Open provided the most intriguing 8:10 a.m. Saturday tee time in recent memory. And we're not referring to the group featuring Tiger Woods.

While the 14-time major champ began his day on the 10th tee at Torrey Pines' South Course, Patrick Reed and Jordan Spieth, a pair of former Ryder Cup partners, gathered on the first tee. In their first public appearance together—and possibly, first interaction—since that messy breakup in Paris last fall, many wondered how they'd react. Would they give each other the silent treatment? Would Reed wave his finger in Spieth's face? Would they need to be separated by their caddies? Nope, this is golf, people. They hugged it out.

OK, so it looks like Reed was looking for a fist bump and Spieth initiated the embrace, but Reed was smiling the entire time and was happy to go along. He was also seen yukking it up with Spieth's caddie, Michael Greller, as they walked off the first tee. So much for all the anticipated awkwardness.

Beginning at the 2014 Ryder Cup, Reed and Spieth formed a formidable partnership, compiling an 8-1-3 record at four international team competitions before being paired with different players by captain Jim Furyk at Le Golf National. While Spieth went 3-1 with Justin Thomas, Reed went 0-2 in two four-ball matches with Woods as his partner. And following Team USA's loss, Reed claimed to have been "blindsided" by the decision by Furyk, one that he claims was pushed by Spieth.

"I was looking at (Jordan) like I was about to light the room up like Phil in ’14,” Reed told the New York Times' Karen Crouse in an explosive interview an hour after the team left the premises. He added, “Every day, I saw ‘Leave your egos at the door. They (the Europeans) do that better than us.”

And nearly two months later, the two clearly hadn't patched things up. Ahead of the Hero World Challenge—and after Reed wasn't at Spieth's wedding—Reed was asked if they'd been in contact.

"Nope," Reed told the New York Post's Mark Cannizzaro, before adding, "He has my number."

But on Saturday, the young stars seemed to let bygones be bygones. And that's a good sign. After all, at 28 (Reed) and 25 (Spieth), respectively, they're going to have to play on a lot more teams together.