At the Italian Open there has been only one American winner, almost half a century ago. It was 1975 and the game was played in Monticello, in Brianza, Billy Casper arrived who was 44 years old at the time and took home the cup without doing anything exceptional, even with two rounds over par. Before and after no stars and stripes flag in the roll of honor. Strange. But perhaps the time has come to rewrite history. “Yes, I would love to be the second American to win in Italy, but have you seen the names of those who have won here in the past? It’s a prestigious tournament, it’s certainly not easy”. These are the words of Patrick Reed, a foreign star of the Open that starts this morning at the Adriatic Golf Club in Cervia and has reached its 81st edition. He will play the first two rounds together with the Englishman Laurie Canter and our Guido Migliozzi, fresh winner in Holland. For them tee time at 13.10.
successful villain
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Patrick Reed is not a trivial name in world golf. He is worth the greats in the history of this sport, he has become a US symbol in the Ryder Cup – he has played three – so much so that he was nicknamed Captain America, he won the Masters in Augusta and eight other events on the PGA Tour, then suddenly he gave it all up to move – covered in a ton of millions of dollars – to the LIV circuit financed by Arab money. The character also has a dark side that is always useful to have a real story to tell. Reed, who is now 33 years old, comes from Texas and grew up in Georgia, in his life he has played the role of the bad guy to perfection, accused several times of lying on the course and of not respecting the rules – the greatest ignominy for a golfer – excluded from university for the same accusations and because his teammates complained about him, there was even talk of a theft in the locker room, not loved by his colleagues. He recently went so far as to denounce the American Tour, a group of journalists, some players like Rory McIlroy who he said had all joined forces to conspire against him. Maybe crazy and a conspiracy theorist, maybe a liar and a thief, but on the course he is a phenomenon. And everyone can’t wait to admire him on the course in Cervia. He also says he is impatient: “It’s my first time in Italy and so far I’m really enjoying myself. Beautiful course, great welcome”. Then there are – of course – a few tributes to us: “I love the culture, the people and the food, my favorites are pasta and pizza”. Having paid the price for gastronomic banality, Reed also stops for a moment to talk about the LIV and the rift that still cannot be mended: “I hope that something is done, the last thing people want are three circuits with the best players divided and therefore rarely facing each other. We who are on the LIV do not even have the world ranking points and often we cannot play the majors and this is not right”.
rich edition
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Reed won the Masters in 2018. Whoever triumphs at Augusta will always have a place of honor in the history of golf and this year the Italian Open can even boast two Green Jackets because with Reed there is also Danny Willett, Englishman , 36 years old, who won in Georgia in 2016. He has come back from a difficult period, also due to some injuries. “But now my shoulder is better, I know I can hit well, the problem is the lack of habit in tournaments, but I will do everything to make a good impression because I have often played in Italy and I have always enjoyed myself. I came second in 2016 when Francesco Molinari won, the vibrations he gives from the public are special.” Specials like this edition of the Open. Two Green Jackets together, but when ever…
