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Patrick Reed withdraws from the Northern Trust less than two hours before his first-round tee time

August 19, 2021
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David Berding

JERSEY CITY, N.J. — Patrick Reed's quest to earn an automatic spot on the U.S. Ryder Cup team just got a lot harder.

The nine-time PGA Tour winner withdrew from the Northern Trust with an ankle injury less than two hours before his Thursday tee time. Reed had been scheduled to play with fellow Ryder Cup hopefuls Daniel Berger and Scottie Scheffler for the first two rounds of the opening event of the FedEx Cup Playoffs.

Reed is currently ninth in the U.S. Ryder Cup rankings with the top six following the conclusion of the Tour Championship earning automatic spots. American captain Steve Stricker will select the other six players going to Whistling Straits next month. Based on his Ryder Cup record, one would think the man dubbed "Captain America" would make it, but it's certainly not a lock.

Reed, who won at Torrey Pines in January, hasn't been playing particulary well the past two months. Since a fifth-place finish at the Memorial in June, his best result was a T-19 at the U.S. Open. He finished T-31 in his most recent start at the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational.

But Reed had to be looking forward to returning to Liberty National, where he won this event the last time it was played at the Jersey City course in 2019.

At No. 22 in the FedEx Cup standings, Reed will easily be one of the top 70 players qualifying for next week's BMW Championship. But remaining inside the top 30 to advance to the playoff finale at the Tour Championship—like with making the U.S. squad—will probably require some work.