The Loop

Patrick Reed curiously withdraws from Euro events after quietly entering Colonial

May 19, 2015

The Patrick Reed story, never predictable, took a curious turn with his withdrawing from two European Tour events to which he had committed, while quietly entering the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial this week.

"We will not be able to travel overseas at this time," he said in a statement. "My sincere apologies go to the organizers of both events, and to the fans. I am really looking forward to playing on the European Tour this year which makes me even more disappointed to withdraw from [the BMW PGA Championship at] Wentworth and the Irish Open."

Players frequently withdraw from tournaments for a variety of reasons. But here's where it got odd with Reed: He did not officially withdraw from the European events until Monday, three days after he quietly committed to playing in the Crowne Plaza Invitational.

In January, Reed announced that he was going to take up European Tour membership in addition to his PGA Tour membership. He Tweeted a photo of his membership badge:

"The European Tour has received a massive shot in the arm with the news that leading American Patrick Reed has taken out membership," Derek Lawrenson wrote in the Daily Mail. "It is an enormous coup, then, for him to take out tour membership on this side of the Atlantic as well."

James Corrigan of the Telegraph wrote on Tuesday that "Reed had earned plenty of praise for his wish to break the US stereotype and become a global player."