Patrick Reed has admitted he was worried about almost 'taking a guy's head off', after the American star had a close-call on the par-five 13th at LIV London.
Reed finds himself in a good spot heading into Sunday's final round at Centurion, four shots behind leader Cameron Smith in a tie for fifth. It has not been all simple for Reed though, who found trouble on the 13th hole during his opening round.
The 2018 Masters champion was left in the high grass down the left-hand side of the fairway, and was looking to chop a lay-up back out onto the fairway to give himself the best chance of making it to the green in three. What happened next though was not part of the plan.
Reed wrapped his hands around his tricky second shot, pulling it left into further trouble, but it was how the ball made it there that left the American holding his breath.
As his shot headed towards the trees it flew just past what appeared to be a tournament volunteer, who quickly ducked out the way before calmly getting back into position. Reed was as shocked as anyone, his face dropped as the ball shot towards the marshall in question.
Luckily nobody was hurt, and Reed even went on to make the most unlikely of pars. A clip of the shot went viral across social media, and the American was quizzed on the near-miss following the end of his second round on Saturday. You're talking about that par-5?" Reed asked after being questioned on the miscue.
"I didn't see it on video, I watched it in person. I sat there like ooh, because I was aiming way right and just trying to lay up and knew that it could grab the hosel [part of the club head], and I was kind of playing for it if it does grab it to still be okay. I've never seen the hosel get grabbed so hard in my life.
"That thing came out low left like that, and I was worried. I was worried that it was just going to take the guy's head right off, and thank God he had fast reflexes because he ducked just in time." Heading into Sunday's final round Reed's full focus will be on chasing down leader Smith, but he knows he will have to go low if he is to get his hands on the title.
"You know, I'm just going to have to look at pin placements and what the wind is doing. Really I would think you have to go out there and shoot under seven or eight-under- par to have a chance," Reed said. Good thing is I went out there and did it today, so I know it's out there.
"Now it's just go out there tomorrow and hopefully be just a little sharper and make just a couple more putts and make it interesting." Play at Centurion will restart at 2:05pm (BST) with Reed playing alongside Henrik Stenson and Louis Oosthuizen.
