American golfer’s foul-mouthed outburst

Double Masters champion Bubba Watson has revealed he put a comforting arm round American Patrick Reed’s shoulder, after Reed was caught out uttering a foul-mouthed tirade on live TV.

Ryder Cup star Reed’s language, directed at himself, was picked up by microphones and broadcast around the world from the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions event in Shanghai.

Watson says Reed had come to his hotel room on Thursday night after the first round ended.

“He came to me last night and said, ‘Hey, I did something bad’,” Watson said.

“I said, ‘What did you do?’ So he showed me the clip on his phone. I said, ‘Yeah, that’s not good. That’s not good, man’.”

The video showed Reed missing a short putt on his 10th hole before saying, “Nice f****** three-putt you f****** faggot.”

Watson, who turned 36 on Wednesday, had every sympathy for Reed.

“I said, ‘Well, we always learn something out of every situation’,” added Watson.

“That’s how you become a better man, and that’s what I told him. And it’s the same thing with me. I bet sometime before I pass away, unless I pass away tonight, I’m going to mess up again.

“I said, tell everybody you’re sorry and move on and hopefully everybody will forgive you over time.”

Reed shot 73 on Friday to be even level par for the tournament and told reporters that he couldn’t actually recall making the outburst.

“Today I felt like I handled myself pretty well, yesterday I did not,” Reed said.

“I was so in the moment I don’t remember saying it. I remember being upset of course,” Reed said.

“Yesterday I made a stupid error that’s for sure and definitely I’m sorry for the words I said.”

He said that the TV microphones are sensitive but that was no excuse.

“We all know there’s microphones out there at the end of the day you have to know how to control and handle your emotions.

“You know I live and die through every shot. It’s one of those things I have to learn how to deal with.”

Reed’s playing partner Graeme McDowell scorched to a second successive 67 to get to 10 under to lead the tournament by three shots from England’s Ian Poulter (67), with Watson and Japan’s Hiroshi Iwata tied for third a shot further back.

Stay up to date with the latest sports news
Follow our social accounts to get exclusive content and all the latest sporting news!