Masters champ Reed eager to get back to the grind

Los Angeles (AFP) – Masters champion Patrick Reed enjoyed the “eye-opening” whirlwind that followed his first major triumph, but he’s more than ready to “get back grinding” at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans this week.

“It was definitely an eye-opening experience,” Reed said of a post-Masters publicity blitz in New York that included an appearance on “The Tonight Show.”

His sojourn in the Big Apple included sitting courtside when the Knicks hosted NBA superstar LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, hobnobbing with celebrity fans including comedians Chris Rock and Aziz Ansari, ex-NFLer turned TV personality Michael Strahan and rapper 2 Chainz.

“You’re just sitting there like, ‘Wow,’” Reed said. “It was a pretty cool experience.”

Now, however, the 27-year-old US Ryder Cup firebrand is looking forward to getting back to work.

“There’s nothing like being back out here,” Reed said Wednesday as he looked forward to teeing it up alongside Patrick Cantlay at TPC Louisiana in the US PGA Tour event played in a two-man team format with best-ball play on Thursday and Saturday and alternate-shot on Friday and Sunday.

“To get back into our normal routine has been nice,” Reed said. “You have to get back in it and get back grinding and playing some golf.”

Reed fired a one-under-par 71 in the final round at Augusta National to finish one stroke ahead of Rickie Fowler with a hard-charging Jordan Spieth a further shot back.

Spieth, who matched the low final round in Masters history with an eight-under par 64, said Wednesday he was hitting it well enough to card a 59 that day.

“I put myself in opportunities on each hole to shoot 59 that day, which is really, really cool,” Spieth said.

Spieth said he had watched video of his final Masters round.

“I wanted to learn a bit from it,” the reigning British Open champion said.

All four current major title holders are in the field. US Open champion Brooks Koepka returns after a 15-week absence recovering from a partially torn tendon in his left wrist.

“It feels like I’ve been out for six months,” Koepka said.