Patrick Reed walked in smiling to his Tuesday press conference at Royal Melbourne, and the smile turned into a laugh – shared with Justin Thomas – when he saw the buzzing scrum of reporters gathered in front of his podium spot.
How can the underdog International team wrest the Presidents Cup from a dominant American side? By playing better, of course. But the galleries at Royal Melbourne can play their part, too.
The friendly – or maybe not-so-friendly – Presidents Cup banter has officially commenced with Australian Marc Leishman taking a pot shot at bunker bandit Patrick Reed following one of the more explosive PGA Tour rulings in recent memory.
With four bulging discs in his back, Marc Leishman didn't need any further injuries to make it uncomfortable to play golf. He got one anyway. The timing couldn't have been worse.
International team captain Ernie Els has pleaded with Aussie golf fans to not be blinded by the star power of the American team and provide a genuine home-ground advantage when the Presidents Cup returns to Royal Melbourne Golf Club in December.