Patrick Reed's surprise late entry gives BMW PGA Championship its only world top 10 entrant

[ASFN Admin]

Patrick Reed has enhanced the standing of this week’s BMW PGA Championship with a surprise late entry into the Wentworth field. The 2018 Masters champion not only gives the $7m event an American flavour but also a representative of the world’s top 10. Before Reed’s last-minute inclusion, Tommy Fleetwood, the world No 13, was to be the top-ranked player at the famous West Course and with the Race to Dubai in mind, the Englishman will doubtless find this unexpected update interesting indeed. After being beaten in a play-off at the Scottish Open on Sunday, Fleetwood consoled himself in the knowledge that he had risen to third on the European Tour’s order of merit standings and with a good performance in Surrey could leapfrog Reed into first and establish himself as the favourite to win the coveted Harry Vardon Trophy for the second time in four years. But now Reed has sent a strong message of his desire to win the $2m bonus himself. Reed missed the entry deadline 10 days ago, but it is understood the Tour was in “regular touch” with the 30-year-old and he eventually elected to accept a sponsor’s invite that was only confirmed on Monday night. “There’s a lot of golf still to be played, including the Masters [in November], but I’ve given myself a great chance of winning the Race to Dubai,” Reed said. “A victory this week would certainly help me in that goal. It’s a shame the British fans will not be there as they gave me a great reception last year [when he finished fourth].” The 30-year-old is a controversial figure, but he should be applauded for making the Transatlantic trip in these coronavirus times. Collin Morikawa, the 23-year-old USPGA champion who is in second place in the Race to Dubai, has elected not to travel.

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