Patrick Reed celebrates after making par on the 18th green during the final round to win the 2018 Masters Tournament on April 8, 2018 in Augusta, Ga.
Patrick Reed won his first major golf title Sunday, coming out on top in a close competition with Olympic teammate Rickie Fowler and Jordan Spieth as Americans finished in the top three spots at the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia.
Reed, 27, had never before finished in the top 20 at the Masters. He needed a two-putt for the win and got it, beating Fowler by one shot to win the green jacket. Reed finished 15-under 273 after his final-round 71, followed by Fowler at 14-under and Spieth at 13-under.
Fowler made six birdies over the last 11 holes to finish with a 67 for the day, while Spieth, who won in 2015, mounted a furious comeback that saw him go from nine strokes back to start the day to surge past all but Reed and Fowler. A bogey on the last hole left Spieth one stroke off the course record as he shot an 8-under 64.
Reed is the first American to win the Masters since Spieth three years ago.
He finished tied for 11th at the Olympic Games Rio 2016, when golf made its return to the Games.
The Ryder Cup regular had five PGA Tour victories but never a major before Sunday. He finished tied for second at the 2017 PGA Championship, his previous best finish at a major.
Karen Price is a reporter from Pittsburgh who has covered Olympic sports for various publications. She is a freelance contributor to TeamUSA.org on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc.
