Why? USA Completes Impressive Presidents Cup Comeback And Not Many Feel Very Satisfied By The Outcome

The Internationals came up just short at Royal Melbourne. Outside of the Team USA inner circle and some fanboys granted a media pass, this will not be remembered as a genuinely satisfying win by the Americans.

Maybe I’m dead wrong. Perhaps there will be dancing in the streets of Jupiter and residents of Quail Hollow will awake to some overturned cars. A White House visit could include Captain Tiger Woods declaring this better than all of his major championship wins combined.

But I doubt it.

Even though the USA’s 16-14 Presidents Cup win left fewer-than-usual feel-good vibes, that sense will not take away from the often-remarkable golf played by both sides. The sensational Royal Melbourne will also rise above the weeks’ strange vibes, as will the effort by the many rookies in a high-pressure team golf event. The matches were immensely satisfying to watch. All involved should be proud.

And yet the ultimate takeaway from Team USA’s 16-14 win will be one of apathy thanks to the inclusion, embrace and pitiful presence of Patrick Reed.

While Woods played beautifully and carried himself with great class, his captaining left much to be desired. Not only was the Reed selection confounding in the wake of 2018’s Ryder Cup boondoggle, where Reed had the audacity to complain about getting saddled with Woods as he posted what would have been a score in the low 80s, Reed’s place on the team was so unnecessary in a year of major American depth.

Yet Woods rode Reed through three losses before finally benching him Saturday afternoon. A dust-up involving his caddie less than 24 hours after a peculiar 2-down, post-putt mocking celebration only reinforced that Reed is a supreme point-misser who has not learned lessons from past mistakes. Patrick Reed is the guy who over-celebrates after a dunk when his team is down by 30.

Reed’s past “body of work” and complicated presence meant he should not have been rewarded with a Presidents Cup team selection. In a “grow the game” world, Reed’s inability to grasp the very basics makes him capable of doing real damage to the reputation of professional golf.

When Reed cheated in last week’s Hero World Challenge, Woods was left with a dilemma. Leaving him off the team last minute was not feasible, but rewarding him with three starts alongside nice guy Webb Simpson left a bad taste in the mouths of American fans wanting to see a reward for class and quality. Simpson ultimately will regret protesting the “undeserved” heckling Reed received.

Maybe time will heal and wipe away memories of the Reed taint on these matches. Or the strange embrace by both Woods and the PGA Tour of the game’s ultimate 24/7, First Team, All-Conference example of Conduct Unbecoming. For now, this Presidents Cup will be remembered for being won by a team embracing a toxic figure beyond repair. And that’s why even many Americans will not feel good about the outcome.