Patrick Reed overcomes "shhh" gesture in 2014 Ryder Cup to be popular in Europe

Patrick Reed has spoken about how much he has enjoyed going from the pantomime villain on one of his first appearances on European soil to feeling a real warmth from golf fans on this side of the Atlantic.

Patrick Reed talking to the media via a video link ahead of the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates. Picture: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images

In one of the most memorable moments in the 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles, Reed made himself hugely unpopular with the home crowd when he put his index finger to his mouth in a “shhh” gesture during the last-day singles against Henrik Stenson.

Six years on, it could be said that the American is now more popular on this side of the Atlantic than he is often perceived to be in his home country, having not just taken out European Tour membership but embraced that status.

Indeed, the 2018 Masters champion is on the verge of making history by becoming the first American to win the Race to Dubai as the 2020 edition reaches the last lap in this week’s DP World Tour Championship in the UAE.

“I think it's the competitiveness,” Reed replied to being asked why he thought he was popular in Europe. “You kind of look at kind of sports over here, especially football for y'all, soccer for me, when you look at it, the way the fans get behind their teams, and the way they get going and cheer for when you're doing something well and then if you're not doing something well they try to pick you up or friendly banter back and forth.

“Playing my first Ryder Cup in 2014, I didn't really know how the fans were going to handle me shushing the crowd for the first time. I got booed pretty hard there on the green, which I kind of expect.

“But I came back a month or two later and played the Volvo Match Play over in London, and the amount of support that I had out there and how many people were following me and cheering for me was unbelievable.

“From that point on, every time I come over, the fans have been great. Giving them little gestures back and forth, I feel like they have really embraced that and liked it and really enjoyed it.

“It's been great. I love coming over. I love playing for everybody over here and hopefully continue playing well while I'm over here.”

He was asked what had been the favourite thing that he’d heard shouted at him by a fan on this side of the Atlantic.

“Probably the best compliment someone has yelled for me over here is one guy asking if I would play on the European team for the Ryder Cup one of these years.

“You know, to hear that, just obviously feels great for me because they know that I'm playing well and that they would want me on their team.”

With 2,000 points available to the winner and the player finishing last receiving 30, mathematically any of the leading available players in the Race to Dubai rankings could become the Race to Dubai champion with victory on Sunday.

Helped by a win in the WGC-Mexico Championship and a tie for third in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, though, Reed is the man in the driving seat and his efforts in this event in the past include a tie for second two years ago.

“To be in the position that I'm in is an awesome feeling,” said the 35-year-old. “It shows that what I did throughout the year was solid and really it comes down to this event. Play well and hopefully make history.”

Asked where that achievement would rank in his career, he replied: “It would definitely be up there near the top. You know it's always been a dream of mine to not only win on the PGA Tour but also on The European Tour, and to win the FedExCup as well as The Race to Dubai.

“To be able to get one of those goals that I've set for my career, especially this early, would be great. To be able to come out to an event like this, the last tournament of the year, go out and have a good showing, hopefully win this golf tournament, win the Race to Dubai would mean a lot.”

In an event featuring five Scots - the second biggest tartan representation since its inception in 2009 - Norway’s Viktor Hovland is among four players unable to be crowned as the new European No 1.

Along with Danny Willett, Henrik Stenson and Jazz Janewattananond, he’s secured a spot though a special category for players inside the top 75 in the world rankings, with Hovland having arrived in the UAE straight from his second win on the PGA Tour in the Mayakoba Classic in Mexico on Sunday.“It's been cool,” said the 23-year-old of his whirlwind year, having made his breakthrough on the US circuit in the Puerto Rico Open in February.“Just been a pro for a year and a half and I feel I've made a lot of improvements, which is really encouraging. If I can keep on progressing my game, I'm pretty hopeful about the future.”Can the new world No 15 add a first European Tour title this week? “That would be incredible,” he added. “To think that I've already won twice on the PGA Tour is amazing.“So I feel like that would be another box we can kind of tick off to win on the European Tour. Obviously being Norwegian, it feels closer to home, so that would be amazing.”

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