He has gone 45 straight holes without a bogey at Bethpage Black.
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“Really, I’m going into this week trying to win a golf tournament”, Reed said.
It’s not a major championship, but you would have a tough time determining that from watching the golf being played this weekend at Bethpage Black in NY.
Fowler, who is 9 under to Reed’s 8 under, has converted almost every up-and-down opportunity he’s had over the first 54 holes.
Fowler had three birdies and an eagle, just like Reed, but a bogey on the ninth cost him a spot among the two leaders.
But a wayward approach on the 18th found a bunker and his recovery left him with a 24-footer to save par, which came up short.
Reed, the feisty US Ryder Cupper, leads by two shots from Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo and American Rickie Fowler through two rounds.
World number one Day, who triumphed by six shots past year when the tournament was held at Plainfield Country Club, returned a 68 while fellow golfing heavyweights Jordan Spieth, Bubba Watson and Rory McIlroy carded 71s.
He played bogey-free in the sweltering heat, though still missing plenty of birdie chances. With other variables at play, Fowler likely needs a top-three result in order to remove any doubt to make the team, while Reed needs something in the top-10.
Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., is in a tie for fifth after shooting a 68 to sit at four under for the tournament.
World No.1 and defending champion Jason Day is four shots off the lead at five under and tied sixth after a round of 70. A double bogey on 10 limited his advance, however. “I knew it was good but I realize it was that good”. And from 208 yards away, Reed did just that, smashing a towering 5-iron draw.
Reed’s impressive opening round left him sitting pretty alongside Scotland’s Laird after a first round that saw Sweden’s Henrik Stenson limp out injured.
McIlroy finished the day at two under, with consecutive bogeys on the 15th and 16th thwarting his charge as he finished with a two-under 69.
“It would be nice to have a chance to make that team without having to get picked”. Some guys are playing well and some guys put up some good scores today.
“Any time I tried to hit my draw, seemed like it went right”.
PGA Championship victor Jimmy Walker was among 41 players who missed the three-over cut, finishing at 147 after a 73.
Reed hasn’t won this year and is No. 8 in the Ryder Cup standings.
“Any time you’re at the top of the leaderboard, you feel good”, the burly American said.
Meanwhile, fan favorite Phil Mickelson rallied late in his round to shoot 2-over 73 and finish at 1-over par overall, making the cut by two shots. “It was just something I’m going to have to go back and fix a little bit”.
FARMINGDALE, N.Y. (AP) No one with a chance to make the US team for the Ryder Cup wants to talk about it.
Foremost among them is the Ryder Cup, with each player vying for one of the eight automatic bids handed out at the end of play Sunday. “At the end of the day, if I go and I take care of me and do what I need to do this week, then the Ryder Cup will take care of itself”.
Reed is scrambling for one of the last three automatic spots on the U.S. team to take on holders Europe at Hazeltine outside Minneapolis from September 30 to October 2. He’s also on the Ryder Cup bubble at eighth in the standings.
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The cut fell at three-over with twice Masters victor Bubba Watson and 2010 British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen both advancing right on the number.
