Reed wins PGA playoffs opener, Scott fifth

Patrick Reed has won the US PGA Tour's Northern Trust event in New Jersey while Australian Adam Scott finished fifth in the PGA Tour playoffs opener.

By Evin Priest, Australian Associated Press
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Patrick Reed has lifted his first US PGA Tour trophy since winning the 2018 Masters with a one-shot victory in the opening event of the FedEx Cup playoffs.

Reed started the final round of the Northern Trust at Liberty National with a one-shot lead over Abraham Ancer and held on to it courtesy of a two-under-par 69 to finish at 16 under.

Ancer (69) was runner up, while Harold Varner (68) and Jon Rahm (69) shared third at 14 under.

Australia's Adam Scott closed with a sizzling 65 - the equal-lowest round on Sunday - to finish fifth at 13 under.

Reed, who garnered the nickname 'Captain America' for his stoic performance at the 2016 Ryder Cup, was relieved to secure his seventh US PGA Tour title.

The win elevated Reed to world No.15.

"It's amazing, just to be back and to feel like I've been playing some solid golf and finally having it pay off and to come out as a victory; it's been a while. A little too long honestly," Reed said of the 16-month winless drought since donning Augusta National's green jacket.

"But what better place to do it than here, having the Statue of Liberty in the background, the Presidents Cup was here in 2017 and hearing 'Captain America' and 'USA' all week, it was a good time to get a (win)."

Scott guaranteed himself a spot in the field at the Tour Championship play-offs finale in two weeks' time courtesy of rocketing to 14th on the FedEx Cup standings.

Scott cannot drop out of the top 30 in the standings who qualify for the Tour Championship even though there is still one event before the Atlanta, Georgia finale - the BMW Championship in Chicago.

It will be Scott's first appearance at the Tour Championship since 2016.

However, the US PGA Tour season is over for Australians Matt Jones (six under, tied 30th) and Cameron Smith (two under, tied 59th).

Their Northern Trust results eliminated them from the top 70 who advance to the BMW.

Scott and Marc Leishman are the only Australians qualified for the Tour Championship, with Jason Day missing the cut at the Northern Trust.

Day is 50th on the FedEx standings and will need a hot result at the BMW in order to climb into the top 30.


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